,illustration3 ,,felix ,,tipnis4 ,,india ,,and ,,the ,,indians ,,by ,,edward ,f4 ,,elwin ,,of ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,st ,,john ,,the ,,evangelist1 ,,cowley ,,author ,,of ,,indian ,,jottings1 ,,thirty-,,four ,,years ,,in ,,poona ,,city1 ,,stories ,,of ,,indian ,,boys1 ,,etc4 ,,with ,,illustrations ,,london ,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street1 ,w4 #aiac 99 99 99 99 99 ,,preface ,india is really waking up1 but she is doing so in her own ,indian way4 ,for some years past it has been one of my daily duties to arouse an ,indian boy1 and ,i know exactly how an ,indian wakes4 ,it is a leisurely process4 ,he slowly stretches his legs and rubs his eyes1 and it is at least ten minutes before he can be said to be really wide awake4 ,and every morning ,i have to say exactly the same thing3 ,now remember1 ,felix1 to say your prayers2 then go and wash your hands and face1 and then feed the pony4 ,and if on any particular morning ,i were to leave this reminder unsaid1 and ,felix left any1 or all of these duties1 undone1 and ,i were to ask him the reason1 he would reply1 ,you did not tell me4 ,with ,india waking up1 there never was a time when she stands more in need of some kindly person at her side to tell her what to do4 ,she needs to be taught to say her prayers1 because with the old religion gone and the ,true ,faith dimly understood1 ,india would be in the appalling condition of a great country without a religion4 ,we need to tell her to wash her hands and face1 because there are certain elementary matters of sanitation which must be attended to if ,india is ever to become a wholesome and prosperous country4 ,and we have got to teach her how to work1 because ,india wide awake1 but idle1 might easily become a source of great mischief4 ,every ,englishman who takes pleasure in the sense of ,empire ought to realise that it brings with it great responsibilities1 and therefore that every ,englishman has a measure of responsibility towards ,india4 ,we must be taking care that1 if when she is wide awake she fails to fulfil her great vocation1 at any rate she shall have no cause to utter against us the reproach1 ,you never told me4 ,a better understanding of what ,india and the people who live in it are really like1 seems to be the necessary preparation for sympathy and work of any sort connected with that country2 and to help1 in however small a degree1 to bring about this end is the object of this book4 ,i have had unusually favourable and varied opportunities for getting to know intimately the inner side of ,indian life and character during a somewhat long residence in this country4 ,the contents of the book are exceedingly miscellaneous because the daily experiences have been equally so4 ,everything that is told is the outcome of my own personal observations amongst a people to whom ,i am deeply attached1 and ,i have taken the utmost pains to record nothing of which ,i was not sure1 and to verify everything concerning which ,i was doubtful4 ,the photographs were all taken by ,brother ,arthur of our ,society4 ,,edward ,f4 ,,elwin4 ,,yerandawana1 ,,poona ,,district1 ,,india4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,contents ,,chap4 ,,page ,i4 ,,introductory #a ,,ii4 ,,indian ,,hospitality #aa ,,iii4 ,,the ,,indian ,,view ,,of ,,nature ,,and ,,architecture #ag ,,iv4 ,,indian ,,employees ,,of ,,labour #bd ,v4 ,,the ,,indian ,,postal ,,service #cb ,,vi4 ,,indians ,,and ,,english ,,customs #dj ,,vii4 ,,indian ,,unpunctuality #dh ,,viii4 ,,indian ,,poverty #ed ,,ix4 ,,indian ,,art #fj ,x4 ,,the ,,indian ,,village #ff ,,xi4 ,,indian ,,entertainments #gd ,,xii4 ,,the ,,conversion ,,of ,,india #hc ,,xiii4 ,,mission ,,work ,,in ,,india #hi ,,xiv4 ,,indian ,,music #ih ,,xv4 ,,indian ,,meals #aje ,,xvi4 ,,hindu ,,philosophy #aaa ,,xvii4 ,,hindus ,,and ,,religion #aag ,,xviii4 ,,religious ,,phases ,,in ,,india #abd ,,xix4 ,,games ,,in ,,india #acj ,,xx4 ,,indian ,,wrestlers #acg ,,xxi4 ,,books ,,in ,,india #adc ,,xxii4 ,,indian ,,pageants #aea ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,indian ,,character #aeg ,,xxiv4 ,,religious ,,controversy ,,in ,,india #afd ,,xxv4 ,,wild ,,beasts ,,in ,,india #agj ,,xxvi4 ,,some ,,indian ,,animals #agf ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,indian ,,world ,,of ,,nature #ahb ,,xxviii4 ,,insects ,,in ,,india #ahh ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,indian ,,ascetic #aif ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,indian ,,widow #bjd ,,xxxi4 ,,wrongdoing ,,in ,,india #bab ,,xxxii4 ,,property ,,in ,,india #bba ,,xxxiii4 ,,east ,,and ,,west ,,travelling #bbh ,,xxxiv4 ,,customs ,,of ,,east ,,and ,,west #bcd ,,xxxv4 ,,servants ,,in ,,india #bda ,,xxxvi4 ,,the ,,educated ,,hindu #bdg ,,xxxvii4 ,,unfinished ,,plans ,,in ,,india #bef ,,xxxviii4 ,,gifts ,,in ,,india #bfc ,,xxxix4 ,,proverbial ,,sayings ,,about ,,india #bgj ,,xl4 ,,indian ,,unrest #bgh ,,xli4 ,,the ,,english ,,in ,,india #bhh ,,xlii4 ,,dishonesty ,,in ,,india #bie ,,xliii4 ,,indian ,,mohammedans #cjb ,,xliv4 ,,night ,,alarms ,,in ,,india #cji ,,xlv4 ,,the ,,indian ,,washerman #cag ,,xlvi4 ,,agriculture ,,in ,,india #cbh ,,xlvii4 ,,east ,,and ,,west ,,on ,,board ,,ship #ccg ,,index #cdg 99 99 99 99 99 ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,felix ,,tipnis ,frontispiece ,,swithun',s ,,new ,,home ,,in ,,the ,,village ,to face page #af ,,yerandawana ,,church ,,from ,a ,,distance #bj ,,the ,,indian ,,village ,,postman #ch ,,narayen ,,khilari1 ,a ,,farmer',s ,,son #db ,,the ,,kindly ,,hindu ,,neighbour ,,and ,,his ,,family #dh ,a ,,modern ,,house ,,in ,,poona ,,city #fj ,,mrs ,,salome ,,zadhaw #ff ,,ragu1 ,,the ,,night-,,watchman #gb ,,the ,,yerandawana ,,village ,,wrestlers #ach ,,nirari ,,bhosle1 ,,the ,,mischievous ,,village ,,boy #afh ,,milking ,,the ,,buffalo #ahj ,,dowd ,,pheride1 ,,the ,,egg-,,merchant',s ,,son #aih ,,sarla ,,kalu1 ,,the ,,yerandawana ,,widow #bjf ,,the ,,indian ,,butler #bdb ,,the ,,cemetery ,,cross #bfh 99 99 99 99 99 ,,india ,,and ,,the ,,indians ,,chapter ,i ,,introductory ,misconceptions about ,india4 ,hinduism4 ,an infernal religion4 ,hindu mythology4 ,ascetics4 ,translations of ,hindu sacred books4 ,modern and ancient ways of teaching ,christianity4 ,danger of the incorporation of a false ,christ into ,hinduism4 ,hindu ,india as it really is4 ,definitions of ,what is ,hinduism8 from representative ,hindus4 ,india is not really quite so mysterious a country as it appears to be on first acquaintance4 ,but you have to live there a long time before things begin to reveal their real shape4 ,it is only on the ground of long residence1 and frequent and often close intercourse with a great variety of ,indians1 that ,i venture now and then to give some of my experiences to others4 ,india remains almost an unknown land to a large number of people in spite of all that has been written or spoken about it1 and it is hard to dissipate the many misconceptions which exist concerning the country4 ,some of these misconceptions came into being years ago1 but they have become stereotyped4 ,they were presumably the outcome of hasty conclusions drawn from superficial knowledge4 ,but even visitors to ,india often view the country in the light of preconceived ideas which they have either heard or read of1 and they therefore fail to see things as they really are4 ,it is inevitable in dealing with ,indian things that the defects of the people of the country should occupy rather a prominent place4 ,the cause is their misfortune and not their fault4 ,they have many delightful natural characteristics1 and the years that ,i have lived amongst them have only served to increase my deep affection for the people of ,india1 and the real pleasure that ,i find in their society4 ,the defects of ,hindus come from their religion1 which is deeply steeped in idolatry1 and neither gives them a code of morality1 nor grace to keep one if it had been given4 ,the strongest denunciations of ,hinduism come from the people themselves4 ,i often repeat what the old ,brahmin1 who lived and died a ,hindu1 said when he roared out to me1 ,it is a most infernal religion4 ,and he proceeded to give instances of its infernal nature which it is impossible to print1 but which justified the expression4 ,a ,hindu admits the beauty of a moral life1 but puts it aside as impossible of fulfilment4 ,he has no creed1 and cannot tell you what he believes4 ,he is in doubt and uncertainty both as regards where man came from1 and whither he is going4 ,nearly every ,hindu is an idolater at some time or other1 if only to please his wife1 or to oblige a friend4 ,some1 nowadays1 try to explain away the custom as being merely an ancient tradition1 but on that account to be respected2 or as edifying for the ignorant1 who cannot find ,god in any other way4 ,the histories of the gods1 like all heathen mythology1 consist of tales1 some picturesque1 some foolish1 some dull and childish1 some obscene4 ,how far the educated ,hindu believes them it is difficult to know4 ,those that are obviously absurd he will say are allegorical1 and in spite of their diversity he will maintain that they are all manifestations of one god4 ,the uneducated rustic1 so far as he is familiar with these stories1 believes them4 ,the ascetic life1 at any rate as represented by the professional ascetics of ,india1 is not held in admiration by the people of the country4 ,the real character of most of the wandering ascetics is perfectly well known4 ,but the people fear their curse2 hence they give them alms1 and a measure of outward respect4 ,that their profession and their conduct are so often in contradiction does not apparently excite surprise4 ,some ,english translations of ,hindu sacred books must be taken with a certain amount of caution4 ,enthusiastic and poetically inclined minds have produced translations which can only be said to remotely represent the originals 7if we are to accept the opinion of some who are competent to know71 into which they have read much more than is really to be found there4 ,also1 terms taken from ,christian theology have1 of necessity1 a much fuller meaning to the minds of ,christian people who read them than is to be found in the vernacular expression which they represent4 ,short extracts1 given without the context1 are proverbially misleading1 according to the individual bias of the extractor1 either favourable or the reverse4 ,kindly advisers have been urging lately that missionaries should try and discover what is good in ,hinduism1 and on that foundation gradually build up the truths of ,christianity4 ,it would be just as reasonable to expect to draw sweet water from a bitter spring4 ,the old teachers of ,christianity in ,india preached it as a matter of life and death1 as indeed it is1 and they made converts from amongst the educated men4 ,a ,brahmin convert has told me that what impelled him to carry his convictions to their proper conclusion was the belief that if he held back he would be lost4 ,the apologetic way in which ,christianity is sometimes preached at the present day in ,india1 in response to these well-meant but dangerous promptings1 may possibly lead to the disastrous result of the incorporation of a kind of false ,christ into ,hinduism4 ,our ,lord is greatly admired by a large number of intelligent ,hindus4 ,the ,bible is often quoted by public speakers to illustrate some point in their speech2 not always1 of course1 with accuracy or appropriateness4 ,now and then a ,hindu will say that he is a ,christian in heart2 and that being so1 he pleads to be dispensed from the inconvenient ceremonial of baptism1 which would separate him from his own people4 ,the laxity of many ,nonconformists1 and some others1 concerning baptism1 gives him some ground for making this petition4 ,to take a measure of ,christian morality into ,hinduism1 to place the ,bible alongside their other sacred books1 and to worship ,christ along with ,krishna1 would satisfy modern ,hindu aspirations without entailing much practical inconvenience4 ,in trying to describe everyday life in ,india1 we shall at every turn meet with instances of the effect that ,hinduism has in warping and marring natures which otherwise have so much which is attractive4 ,but the sole purpose of this book is to try and depict ,hindu ,india as it really is4 ,people will only be stimulated to pray and work for the country with the energy and fullness of purpose which the case demands1 when they have realised that the matter is vital and urgent4 ,people will understand how greatly ,christian ,indians need the prayers of others when they realise that they have to lead their lives in the midst of evil1 inconceivably great1 and with the weight of inherited tendencies of wrong hindering their efforts to do right4 ,nor will charitable persons be forgetful to pray for those who have to try and shepherd these sheep and lambs1 whilst they themselves have to live in the midst of an atmosphere of evil influences1 such as those who live in ,christian countries know little of4 ,it is satisfactory and significant to note that one of the most pronounced of the agitators in favour of teaching ,christianity through ,hinduism has become one of the most determined and persuasive preachers of pure ,christianity1 with a corresponding increase of far-reaching and productive influence4 ,the following definitions of what is ,hinduism from certain leading and representative ,hindus will be of interest as showing that what has been said of its nebulous nature is not an exaggeration4 ,the editor of an ,indian paper called the ,leader1 asked the following question3--,what are the beliefs and practices indispensable in one professing the ,hindu faith1 as distinguished from what may be called non-essentials1 which it is left to one's option to believe and to adopt8 ,some of the answers were quoted in the ,delhi ,mission ,news1 vol4 iv41 p4 #ajh1 from which the following extracts are taken4 ,they are slightly abridged1 but the original sense has been carefully preserved4 ,sir ,guru ,das ,banerjee1 an orthodox ,hindu of ,bengal1 of great ability and eminence1 says3--,owing to the highly tolerant character of ,hinduism and to the great diversity of opinion on the point1 it is not easy to answer the question with any great degree of definiteness4 ,i think that the beliefs that are generally considered indispensable in a ,hindu are3 ,belief in ,god1 in a future state1 and in the authority of the ,vedas4 ,the practices that are generally considered indispensable are3 ,the rules prohibiting marriage in a different caste2 forbidding dining with a person of an inferior caste2 and the rule relating to forbidden food1 especially beef4 ,but courts of justice have gone much further1 and held dissenting sects which have sprung out of the ,hindu community1 such as the ,sikhs1 to be ,hindus1 although they do not believe in the authority of the ,vedas and do not observe any distinction of caste4 ,and ,hindu society now practically admits within its pale all persons who are ,hindu by birth1 whatever their beliefs and practices may be1 provided they have not openly abjured ,hinduism or married outside of ,hindu society4 ,mr ,satyendra ,nath ,tagore1 another ,bengali ,hindu1 whose family is among the most distinguished in ,india1 writes3--,there are no dogmas in ,hinduism4 ,you may believe in any doctrine you choose1 even in atheism1 without ceasing to be a ,hindu4 ,you1 as a ,hindu1 must in theory accept the ,vedas as the revealed religion1 but you may put your own interpretation on the ,vedic texts4 ,this leaves a loophole for you to escape from the thraldom of dogmatism4 ,it is the adherence to certain practices--rites and ceremonies--that ,hinduism imperatively demands4 ,chief of these is the system of caste as at present constituted1 the slightest deviation from which cuts one off from the community4 ,in determining the question proposed1 the text is1 ,what is it that entails excommunication of a ,hindu8 ,surely not any specific article of belief1 but a deviation from established usages and customs--such1 for instance1 as the remarriage of widows1 etc4 ,again1 non-observance of the prevailing modes of worship1 non-observance of idol worship1 especially on ceremonial occasions1 might entail serious consequences4 ,it is true that certain articles of belief obtain among the large body of ,hindus1 but they are by no means universal or essential to ,hinduism4 ,you may renounce the belief1 provided you conform to the ceremony which is the outcome of such belief4 ,for instance1 it will not do to discountenance the practice of making funeral offerings to deceased ancestors1 although you have no faith in the immortality of the soul4 ,mr ,p4 ,t4 ,srinivas ,iyengar is principal of a college in ,vizagapatam4 ,he writes3--,the evolution of religion in ,india has not provided the ,hindus with any belief or practice common to all who now go by that name4 ,the pre-,aryan tribes had their own religious beliefs and practices1 on which were superimposed those of the ,aryans4 ,the ,vedic age1 the post-,vedic times1 the ,buddhist age1 and the age of the ,paranas1 have each contributed innumerable ideas and customs4 ,the religion of each one of us contains relics of all these strata1 but not one of these can be called essential to the ,hindu religion1 because every belief or practice that is considered absolutely necessary by ,hindus of one corner of ,india is unknown or ignored by some other corner4 ,it is true that the various schools of ,hindu philosophy agree in regarding a few fundamental ideas as axiomatic1 but philosophy is not religion4 ,the ,mohammedans are one because they have a common religion and a common law4 ,the ,christians are one1 because at least one point of faith is common4 ,but the ,hindus have neither faith1 nor practice1 nor law to distinguish them from others4 ,i should therefore define a ,hindu to be one born in ,india1 whose parents so far as people can remember were not foreigners1 or did not profess a foreign religion like ,mohammedanism or ,christianity1 and who himself has not embraced such religions4 ,the last answer1 which reads the vaguest of any1 is from ,mr ,t4 ,sadasivier1 who is a ,sessions ,judge of ,ganjam4 ,he writes as follows3--,one professing the ,hindu faith has only to have the following belief1 namely1 that the four ,vedas contain moral and spiritual truth1 which are not less valid than any other spoken or written words4 ,he might believe in other spoken or written words 7like the ,bhagavad-gita7 as of equal authority with the ,vedas1 but he ought not1 if he is a ,hindu1 to believe such to be superior1 so far as moral and religious truth is concerned4 ,out-castes are ,hindus so long as they believe the ,vedas to contain the highest moral and religious truths4 ,as regards practices1 a ,hindu ought to follow those he believes to be in conformity with and not opposed to1 the ,vedas4 ,he can follow his own conscience and desires in ordinary matters1 so long as he believes that they are not opposed to the ,vedas4 ,human nature being liable to sin1 even if he contravenes the practices believed by him to be ,vedic1 if he admits he ought to follow only practices enjoined by the ,vedas1 he is a ,hindu1 even if he cannot study and read the ,vedas4 ,if he believes that the ,vedas inculcate certain practices for him and that he ought to follow them1 he is and remains a ,hindu4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,indian ,,hospitality ,hospitality limited by caste rules4 ,feasts4 ,the ,hindu's guest-house4 ,laws of hospitality2 observed by ,indian ,christians2 their generosity to each other4 ,indian respect for the mother2 retained through life2 observed by ,indian ,christians4 ,swithun's mother4 ,indian affection shallow1 except for the mother4 ,the peoples of the ,east are proverbial for their hospitality1 and certainly ,indians in all parts of their country are true to this excellent tradition1 although the caste system of ,hindus1 which in so many ways hinders their good purposes from producing their legitimate result1 restricts their hospitable efforts1 within their own dwelling1 to the sometimes narrow limits of their own particular caste4 ,invitations to members of castes above their own would not be accepted4 ,and if1 in some cases1 a broad-minded ,hindu would be not unwilling to invite to dinner a friend belonging to a caste lower than his own1 his good intentions would be almost certainly checkmated by the ladies of his household1 who would refuse to cook for the intruder4 ,rich men give feasts out of doors to a variety of people1 who sit in groups according to their caste4 ,even lepers and beggars are not unfrequently fed in this fashion on a large scale by those who are wealthy4 ,such feasts1 however1 do not come exactly under the laws of hospitality1 because they are held according to the fancy of the giver4 ,it is practically a matter of obligation to feast people bountifully in connection with marriages and deaths and some other ceremonies4 ,any actual breach of the ,indian code of hospitality is regarded as a serious lapse1 and even within the limits of the family and caste1 the burden of hospitality can become a very heavy one4 ,a well-to-do ,hindu in ,poona city built a new three-storied house in a corner of his large compound4 ,as he had already got a house of apparently ample dimensions1 ,i asked him what was the object of this new one4 ,he said that it was for his guests2 and he then proceeded to give me a good deal of information concerning ,hindu customs connected with hospitality4 ,he said that guests who come to stay usually arrive without invitation1 or previous notice4 ,they are often attended by wife and children and other relations1 and remain for an indefinite time4 ,a visit of even two or three months' duration is quite usual4 ,i asked if it was not possible to hint that it was time that the visit came to a close4 ,but he said that to do so would be considered very rude1 and a great breach of hospitality1 and that it was never done4 ,people who are not well off1 often pay these long visits for the sake of the free rations2 and1 on account of their poverty1 it is impossible to pay them back in their own coin by going to stay a corresponding time with them4 ,indian ,christians retain strongly these national ideas concerning the laws of hospitality1 and are generous in their entertainment of each other1 even although it means that their monthly supply of grain will run short1 and that they will be hard put to it1 and have to live on short commons during the last days of the month4 ,people holiday-making1 or out of work1 will forage about in search of free meals1 and will drop in here and there just about dinner time without much thought as to whether their company is welcome or not4 ,even the poorest persons will cheerfully produce all that they have got in order to feed these chance comers1 with whom perhaps they have only a slight acquaintance4 ,christians are also generous with their money in helping other ,christians who are in difficulties1 or out of work4 ,some who may have got good appointments are1 nevertheless1 often kept poor by their efforts to help relations who1 on their part1 seem to have no delicacy about making urgent demands for assistance4 ,even mothers will prey without compunction on married children who can ill afford to render help4 ,but the petition of the mother is never rejected4 ,in ,hindu family life the respect and affection which the son has for his mother is a most touching and beautiful characteristic1 which only intensifies the older he grows4 ,the ,indian boy is often wilful and disobedient and rude to his mother1 but he makes up for this by his dutiful conduct when he grows to manhood4 ,it is almost comical to find ,hindus of mature years referring everything to their mother1 and even in small matters of daily life saying that they must ask their mother before they can do this or that4 ,this filial conduct does not arise from fear of the maternal wrath1 but because of the son's deep respect for his mother as such4 ,many a ,hindu has said to me1 when discussing the possibility of acceptance of ,christianity1 ,it would grieve my mother1 and ,i cannot do that4 ,when conversions have taken place1 the final and most bitter struggle has nearly always been when the lamentations and entreaties of the mother had to be faced1 and some men have not been able to stand this pressure1 and have turned back on that ground alone4 ,the tears of the wife are of small account compared with the distress of the mother4 ,it must be added that the ,hindu mother appears to accept the considerate regard of her sons very much as a matter of course1 and that if she looks upon them with equal affection1 her manner of displaying it is1 at any rate1 different from the ,english ideal4 ,happily ,christian boys and men retain much of the same reverential feeling concerning their mother4 ,the ,indian equivalent of the ,english parish clerk at the village church at ,yerandawana was about to be married in ,bombay1 where his bride resided1 #abj miles away4 ,his mother was a curious1 cross-grained old woman1 not yet a ,christian4 ,as he had not much money1 ,i suggested that there was no need to take his mother to this distant city for the wedding1 but that she could be ready to greet the bride at their new home in the village when they returned4 ,but ,swithun assured me that it was absolutely essential that his mother should go with him1 and that if he was married without taking care to secure her presence1 he would be for ever branded as an undutiful son4 ,she was not at all grateful for his kind consideration1 and made herself very disagreeable all through the wedding-day1 but the guests treated her with a good deal of respect and regard solely on the score of her being the bride-groom's mother1 and on that account a person to be honoured4 ,indian affection is quite real as far as it goes1 but it does not go very deep1 so that it does not long outlive the removal of the object of regard1 either through death or any other cause4 ,nor will ,indian affection bear much strain4 ,petty complications in family life1 trivial misunderstandings between friends of long standing1 or amongst ,christians some little hitch with the authorities of a mission1 will sometimes result in life-long separations or bitter animosity between those who1 for the time being1 were objects of real1 but shallow1 affection4 ,but the ,indian puts up with anything rather than quarrel with his mother1 and her memory remains fresh and green long after other departed relations and friends have been lost in oblivion4 ,illustration3 ,,swithun',s ,,new ,,home ,,in ,,the ,,village4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,indian ,,view ,,of ,,nature ,,and ,,architecture ,indians oblivious to scenery4 ,the beauties of ,nature4 ,results of learning drawing4 ,hindus' offerings of flowers2 their garlands4 ,pictures of flowers4 ,the new village church attracts2 impressed by its interior2 schoolboys visit it4 ,visitors from the ,hindu college4 ,a party from the ,widows' ,home4 ,brahmin ladies admire the embroidery4 ,the religious bath4 ,almost all ,indians are apparently oblivious to beautiful scenery4 ,you rarely see them looking at a gorgeous sunset1 or hear them speak about it4 ,you will seldom hear them make any reference to the beauty or otherwise of their surroundings4 ,as they travel along the road you will not see them looking round about them4 ,some passengers gaze listlessly out of the windows of the train1 but to all appearance without much interest1 except at stations where there is a crowd on the platform4 ,even the buildings or shop windows of a city only attract a languid amount of attention2 but a street quarrel1 or a war of words between two excited females1 will soon draw a large crowd4 ,the brightness of the moon and the glory of the stars1 astonishingly brilliant as they are when seen through the clear ,indian atmosphere1 does not seem to excite admiration1 in spite of the divine attributes which ,hindus ascribe to such objects4 ,even ordinary secular education does not do much to stimulate appreciation of the beauties in ,nature4 ,christianity does something in this direction by extending the range of mental vision to the possibilities of the heavenly country1 and the knowledge of ,god as the ,creator excites a measure of interest in the objects of ,his creation4 ,but even amongst ,indian ,christians any keen perception of the beauty of scenery by land or on the sea-coast is defective4 ,drawing is a subject which is now extensively taught in schools in ,india1 and it is a branch of education which is helping to train the ,indian mind to observe and appreciate form and colour4 ,at one time the many lads who came to the ,mission-house for old ,christmas cards scornfully rejected even the most beautiful pictures of flowers as being of no worth4 ,pictures of birds1 or beasts1 or people they sought for eagerly1 because such objects came within their range of appreciation1 but the beauty of a flower as such they did not understand4 ,loose flowers without stalk or leaves are offered in temples1 or they are strung on a thread and hung on the god like a necklace4 ,but the value of the offering is in the scent of the flower1 and not in the beauty of its colour or form4 ,the ,yerandawana village children often come to the church with their cap or pocket filled with flowers plucked in this fashion1 which they present as an offering4 ,we have a large brass bowl in which we receive such gifts1 which is then placed on the altar1 with the prayer that those who have thus shown their goodwill may be led on to give their own hearts to ,god4 ,the elaborate garlands which are used so largely as a complimentary gift to those whom it is thought desirable to honour are also valued for their scent rather than for any intrinsic beauty which they may possess4 ,if the flowers happen to be defective in this respect the defect is corrected by the addition amongst their petals of powerfully smelling attar of roses4 ,so little is the natural beauty of the flower recognised that in the more elaborate garlands small round looking-glasses in tawdry brass frames are strung at intervals1 producing a painful incongruity4 ,but of late years quite a number of the more advanced students have called at the ,mission-house expressly seeking pictures of flowers as drawing studies1 and their discriminating remarks1 and their admiration of pictures of special beauty1 and the excellence of some of their own efforts in the production of drawings of natural objects1 shows that at any rate this department of education is bringing about the desired results4 ,when the church at ,yerandawana was building1 the first indication that its unusual design commended itself to the ,indian mind was that passers-by began to stop and look at it4 ,you need to be familiar with the ,indian's state of oblivion concerning his surroundings1 already referred to1 in order to understand the force of this4 ,to pause and gaze at a big building in process of erection is1 with most people1 a natural and obvious thing to do2 especially if time is of no object and the design of the building a novelty4 ,but not so the ,indian4 ,to gradually slacken his pace1 to turn and look1 to pause and discuss1 was an indication that new and unwonted impressions were being made on the ,indian mind4 ,the effect increased as the building approached completion4 ,few people passed without regarding it attentively4 ,many looked back to take another view before they had got out of sight4 ,and although1 to the villagers at any rate1 the church is now a familiar object1 many of them still seem to find a pleasure in looking up at it as they go by4 ,its interior never fails to impress ,hindus of whatever age or station1 and it has become a valuable agent in the work of pioneer evangelisation4 ,people who enter the church in an easygoing way are impelled to reverence and subdued tones at the sight of its domes1 and the many arches in the massive walls1 combined with its extreme simplicity4 ,controversial ,hindus drop their controversy1 and find themselves uttering expressions of surprised pleasure4 ,young children are so attracted by the church that they ask to visit it again and again4 ,often when a ,hindu boy comes and asks for pictures for the first time1 some of the old stagers will suggest that he must see the church1 and they are eager to display their knowledge of our religious ways by explaining to him the meaning of what he finds there4 ,illustration3 ,,yerandawana ,,church ,,from ,a ,,distance4 ,the ,english stories which are given as text-books in the upper classes of ,indian schools sometimes present great difficulties to the ,hindu masters1 who have to explain the meaning of words and phrases4 ,miss ,yonge's ,little ,duke was being read in some of the ,poona ,city ,high ,schools one year4 ,even the ,christian and surname of the author1 pronounced with exact reference to the spelling1 produced such a mysterious result that it was some time before ,i recognised the real name buried up in strange sounds4 ,miss ,yonge's references to churches were often particularly perplexing1 and a boy asking what was meant by the chancel1 his master wisely advised his pupil to pay a visit to a ,christian church and see for himself4 ,quite a number of young students at this period came and asked to be shown over the church1 and to have its various parts explained to them4 ,some of the questions were not easy to answer1 considering that the questioners were ,hindus4 ,what is meant by ,holy ,communion8 asked one of these young men4 ,and later on another1 having had the font explained to him1 said1 ,and how about the ceremony of bread and wine8 ,even a little party of seven or eight female students from a ,hindu college1 escorted by the one ,christian girl in the establishment1 came to see the church4 ,some of them were carefully dressed with due regard to ,hindu fashion1 but one or two were advanced women of the modern school1 who had introduced several innovations1 especially as regards a freer way of arranging the hair4 ,there was something almost pathetic in their interest in what they saw1 because the hope of their ever being otherwise than outsiders was1 to say the least of it1 very distant4 ,it was1 however1 a distinct mark of progress that the ,christian girl who brought them was not only tolerated as a boarder in the college amongst high-caste girls1 but she was evidently popular and looked up to4 ,about a dozen ,hindu widows came over one morning to see the church from their home in the next village4 ,they displayed a curious combination of curiosity1 apprehension1 and interest4 ,one oldish widow literally fled to the other side of the church when she suddenly realised that ,i was standing behind her4 ,the other women were a good deal amused at her alarm4 ,it was evident that everything that they saw was an enigma to them4 ,naturally ,hindu visitors constantly ask1 ,where is the ,god8 and they are a good deal astonished to find that there is no visible ,god4 ,the widows were naturally interested in the needlework of the altar cloths and hangings1 and asked several questions about it and admired it4 ,like the lady visitors from the ,hindu college1 they showed some diversity of taste and opinion in their dress and ornaments and arrangement of hair4 ,when plague was bad in ,poona ,city many of the well-to-do people left their homes and camped round about ,yerandawana4 ,in the evening1 when ,brahmin ladies were taking a walk with their children1 or returning from their daily visit to the ,hindu temple in the village1 a party of them would now and then come into the church and study it at leisure with great interest4 ,the beautiful figure of the ,crucifixion1 with ,our ,lady and ,st ,john1 above the high altar1 worked in silk and gold1 they looked at and discussed with much appreciation of the skilled needlework and the richness of the materials4 ,how far the picture itself appealed to them it was difficult to say4 ,finally1 they would gather round the great font1 sometimes with caution till they saw that there was no water in it1 and listened respectfully to the description of its use4 ,yes1 ,i see1 it is for a religious bath1 said one of them2 and we wondered how long it might be before some of these good women would again gather round the font to receive their own baptism4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,indian ,,employers ,,of ,,labour ,studies of ,indian character4 ,workpeople rude to their employers4 ,disobedience of female workers4 ,the contractor's pay-day4 ,the labourers cheated4 ,the caretaker of the wood-store2 the risk of fire2 the caretaker's fidelity2 his cheerful poverty2 the tyranny of clothes2 his prayers4 ,the wood-cutters defrauded4 ,while the village church was in process of building1 many valuable opportunities occurred for getting insight into ,indian character4 ,various grades of men were employed1 from the rough coolies who dug the foundations1 to the skilled decorator who gilded the cross on the top of the tower4 ,the prosperous ,hindu contractor with his clerks and overseers were constantly on the spot1 and vendors of wood and stone and other materials were frequently in the compound making bargains about fresh supplies4 ,one noticeable feature amongst the working people was their rude manner towards their employers4 ,an ,english master would not have put up with it for an hour1 but it did not disturb the ,indian contractor in the least1 and it was clearly only the normal state of things4 ,men and women of all grades joked with their employers1 laughed at them1 made game of them1 and when angry abused them to their heart's content4 ,they on their part either took no notice1 or laughed1 or abused them in return4 ,their masters did not resent even deliberate disobedience4 ,an ,englishman generally expects to be obeyed at once1 and hesitation or delay on the part of the subject is looked upon as a serious offence4 ,but it is not customary for any ,indian to obey an order on the instant4 ,you must always give him a little time4 ,the contractor's son1 who acted as ganger or overseer1 would find a bricklayer's assistant1 male or female1 sitting in the shade doing nothing4 ,women are employed largely as day-labourers1 and more often than not it was the woman who was the slowest to obey4 ,the overseer would tell her peremptorily to get up and go to work4 ,the woman would pretend not to hear him4 ,the command would be repeated in louder tones4 ,the woman would continue to wear an air of supreme indifference1 and would remain sitting4 ,rougher words1 accompanied by threats1 would at last produce the response1 ,all right6 ,i am coming1 but without any movement on the part of the woman4 ,she would at length leisurely resume work4 ,the contractor appeared to be content with this scant measure of obedience and not to expect more4 ,but when it came to wages day he was able to pay off old scores1 but not in coin of the realm4 ,almost everybody in ,india is paid monthly4 ,when a person says1 ,my pay is fifteen rupees1 he means that this is what he gets each month4 ,but the contractor settled accounts when he felt inclined1 and at irregular intervals4 ,pay-day was a very stormy one4 ,its advent was notified by the arrival of the money-box1 much resembling the old-fashioned wooden desk of the last century4 ,the contractor sat on the ground on a bit of old carpet1 under the shade of a grass-mat1 with the box before him4 ,the process of paying often went on for some hours1 because it was accompanied by much fierce arguing and angry debate4 ,the contractor1 though taking large contracts1 could neither read nor write4 ,yet he was said to have his complicated accounts clearly registered in his own mind4 ,he occasionally made a few mystic symbols to assist his memory1 which no one understood except himself4 ,one of his sons1 who was better educated than he was1 kept a record of what the labourers did1 and it was from this record that their pay was calculated4 ,a slight familiarity with the nature of ,hindu business transactions would lead to the conviction that the vehement protestations of many of the labourers concerning the injustice of this record were well founded4 ,the contractor was bent on paying no more than he was absolutely obliged4 ,considerations concerning justice1 which still have some influence even amongst indifferent ,christians1 would not have entered his mind at all4 ,his only anxiety would have been lest his men should be exasperated to the point of leaving him4 ,hence the workmen probably generally came out worst in the conflict because they had no other means of redress1 and labour is in most places abundant in ,india1 and vacant posts are quickly filled4 ,the contractor1 on pay-day at least1 was able to show his contempt for the underlings who were so often rude to him1 by the way in which he gave them their money4 ,tossing it to them from a distance1 they had to gather it up as best they could out of the dust into which he threw it4 ,it is sometimes suggested that the want of truth and honesty in business affairs amongst ,hindus has been exaggerated4 ,but it would be scarcely possible to exaggerate the extent of what is almost universal4 ,if you were to ask one of themselves whether he knew of any ,hindu who could be really trusted in any matter involving money1 he would at once reply that he did not know of anybody4 ,the day-labourer in particular1 being a defenceless mortal1 rarely gets from anybody the full sum to which he is entitled4 ,if he is paid by the day1 bearing this in mind1 he retaliates by doing as little work as possible4 ,hence labourers are almost always paid by the job4 ,a ,hindu wood-merchant took a contract for clearing a large tract of forest land some miles beyond the ,yerandawana settlement4 ,the quantity of wood was so great that there was no room for it in his yard in ,poona ,city1 and so he rented a strip of land immediately opposite the ,mission bungalow as a temporary wood-store4 ,this vast amount of dry timber became a matter of some anxiety1 because if it had caught fire it would have roasted us out of church and home4 ,nor was this fear altogether unfounded4 ,an old man was appointed caretaker1 and lived in a frail hut in the midst of the wood4 ,he cooked his dinner daily with the help of a wild-looking1 unclothed little daughter who shared his humble home4 ,they generally kindled their fire inside the hut1 which was made of most inflammable materials1 and to judge by the clouds of smoke which poured out through the coarse thatch at cooking time1 the operations were on rather a large scale4 ,he also made a large bonfire of refuse bits of wood outside his hut on cold nights1 and there he and a few friends would sit and toast themselves till a late hour4 ,this man was supposed to be paid by the month1 but he told me that his money was always doled out to him in small sums at irregular intervals1 and that he was never paid up to date4 ,this is a common custom to secure continuity of service4 ,it would not matter if the balance due was really given at the conclusion of the compact4 ,but this is rarely1 if ever1 done4 ,the old man watched the wood with exemplary fidelity for two years1 never absent from his post night or day1 except for the briefest possible visit to the bazaar at long intervals1 to buy the few necessities of his simple life4 ,he then fell ill1 and decided to give up his job and return to his native village4 ,but his employer only gave him a portion of the final balance1 on the plea that he must have neglected his duty when he was unwell4 ,he asked me to write a certificate to the effect that he had stuck to his post all the time1 which ,i gladly did1 but it was not likely to help his cause with his heathen master4 ,this cheerful old man was an example of how happiness does not depend on comfortable surroundings4 ,the hut1 which was of his own manufacture1 was of the most miserable description4 ,inside there was literally only just space enough for himself and his little girl to creep in and lie down4 ,in the monsoon it was reduced to a pitiable condition1 the rain coming through like a sieve4 ,the floor having become mud1 the old man was at last obliged to invest in a native bedstead1 which only costs about #h;d4 ,having secured this luxury he was quite content1 and when he looked across at the ,mission bungalow1 which1 though homely enough1 was a palace compared to his hut1 ,i do not suppose that he ever felt any wish to exchange residences4 ,the only thing that he could not bear was the tyranny of clothes1 and he wore even less than is usual in ,india4 ,his chief joy was to sit and bake in the morning sun1 and to be coiled up in the shade during the hottest part of the day4 ,now and then he came over and sat in one of our verandahs for a little while1 and he would wander into church and gaze round with admiration4 ,he was always smiling1 or laughing1 or talking1 or working1 or sleeping4 ,though quite ignorant1 he was a devout ,hindu according to his lights4 ,it was pathetic to hear him in his hut calling loudly on his gods1 just about the time we went to ,compline4 ,he always repeated the names of about half a dozen gods1 calling on each about twelve times or more in succession1 in a rapid but clear voice which could be distinctly heard in the bungalow4 ,i do not think that he ever missed his evening exercise4 ,we tried to teach him something of ,christianity2 but beyond sharing in the general appreciation of the fabric of the church1 and feeling that ,christians made good neighbours1 ,i do not suppose that he took anything in4 ,pictures he did not understand1 or when we showed them to him1 laughed merrily1 thinking that we meant it for a joke4 ,after the wood had lain there for a long time1 but before the old man retired1 men were sent to cut it up for firewood4 ,half a dozen men worked hard for two or three weeks1 and sawed and split quite a mountain of logs4 ,their day's work they measured in a primitive sort of balance1 and the tally was checked by the old caretaker4 ,once or twice an agent from the wood-merchant came on the scene1 and a war of words always ensued on the subject of methods of weighing1 and the prospective payment of results4 ,this was preparing the way for the final scene when the men began to clamour for their money4 ,the agent declared that the wood had not been correctly weighed and that it must be measured afresh1 a process which would have taken some days4 ,meanwhile he said he would give them a portion of what was due1 and the balance must stand over4 ,the men on receiving their docked pay indignantly gathered up their tools and declared that they would return to their native village1 which they did4 ,the agent had no doubt counted on this final result all the time1 and was able to report to his master how well he had served his interests4 ,the wood had no permanent guardian after the old man left4 ,other men came from time to time1 worked for a day or two1 cut up a certain amount of wood1 and then threw up the job before they had been paid anything at all1 and thus the wood-merchant got a good deal of work done for nothing4 ,these are the sort of conditions under which nearly all the poorer class of day-labourers in ,india have to labour4 ,,chapter ,v ,,the ,,indian ,,postal ,,service ,the post-runners2 their fidelity4 ,the village post4 ,letters to rustics few4 ,popularity of post cards4 ,indian train-sorters4 ,dishonesty4 ,insurance4 ,postal privileges4 ,use of the telegraph2 its abuse2 absurd instance of this4 ,the postman a privileged visitor4 ,the excellence of the postal service in ,india is surprising considering the difficult conditions under which it is worked4 ,the men engaged in the collection and delivery of letters are perhaps more of a success than those who are employed within the post offices4 ,these latter have more temptations to dishonesty4 ,the lowest grade of all in the service is proverbially the most dependable4 ,these are the post-runners1 who are illiterate men who collect letters but cannot deliver them1 because they cannot read the addresses4 ,they often have very long beats in remote country districts1 where sometimes there is risk both from robbers and wild beasts4 ,the runner may be recognised by a sort of javelin which he carries1 presumably for his protection2 and to this are attached some jingling bits of iron or small bells1 so that after dark you can detect the post-runner by this sound4 ,more often than not his long journey extends into the night4 ,considering the lonely tracks through which his road frequently leads1 it is to the credit of the inhabitants of the country that he is not often robbed4 ,it is also to his own credit that he is said to run any risk rather than fail to deliver his mail-bag at its destination4 ,his appearance1 as he ambles along in shabby attire with his letter-bag over his shoulder1 is not calculated to inspire confidence4 ,but the ,yerandawana letters are picked up in the evening by one of these primitive post-runners1 and no instance is on record of any letter failing to reach its destination4 ,post offices are at present only to be found in a few of the more important villages4 ,the post-master is generally the ,government schoolmaster1 who is grateful for any addition to his small income4 ,in thousands of ,indian villages letters are only delivered two or three times a week1 or even less1 and they have no post-box4 ,people send their letter to the post when anybody happens to be going to the nearest town4 ,when the ,mission first settled in ,yerandawana there was no collection of letters at all4 ,the ,english mail letters1 which reached ,bombay on ,friday1 sometimes did not get to ,yerandawana till the following ,wednesday4 ,but the postal authorities readily grant facilities as soon as there is a reasonable demand for them1 and there is now a daily delivery2 also a morning and evening collection from a post-box hung in the verandah of the ,mission roadside dispensary4 ,villagers at present make so little use of the postal service that greater facilities than they have already got are not yet required4 ,few rustics can write with sufficient ease to enable them to write a letter1 and a considerable proportion of the few letters which come to our villagers are soon brought on to the ,mission-house1 or to the schoolmaster1 because the recipients cannot read them for themselves4 ,almost all ,indian correspondence is carried on by means of post cards4 ,it is the only country1 perhaps1 in which the post card may be said to be a real success4 ,in ,india it exactly supplied a want4 ,the card is cheap 7it only costs #a_/d;d471 and it is complete in itself4 ,stamps and envelopes have to be wetted4 ,the gum may have been made of the hoofs or bones of the cow1 and the thought of possible defilement of caste comes in4 ,the post card has no drawback4 ,its publicity1 which makes ,english people dislike it1 is not considered a disadvantage by the ,indian4 ,he reads other people's letters as a matter of course1 and expects other people to read his4 ,i have often seen a postman seated by the street side sorting out his post cards1 surrounded by an interested little crowd4 ,he and they are reading as many of the post cards as there is time for1 and no one appears conscious of irregularity in the proceeding4 ,a post-office inspector who was travelling in the train with me told me that they have great difficulty in checking robberies committed by the ,indian train-sorters1 because effective supervision is impossible4 ,in the interval between station and station1 which in some of the mail trains is often an hour or two1 the sorters know that they are secure from interruption4 ,they get skilled in detecting by the feel the presence of a bank-note within an envelope4 ,in a country where paper currency is largely in vogue people often send money by post in the form of notes in unregistered letters1 trusting to the thin note not being observed4 ,many such notes get stolen by the train-sorters4 ,even sending half notes is not always a security1 if the remitter does not take the precaution of waiting to hear of the safe arrival of the first half4 ,the dishonest sorter having secured the first half1 and having observed the post-mark and hand-writing1 will be on the look-out for the other half1 which he knows is likely to come along the same route in a day or so4 ,the only chance of getting hold of the thief is by setting a trap for him in the shape of a marked note or coin4 ,but the ,indian thief often suspects and avoids the trap4 ,inspectors board the train at unexpected stations1 and travel for a while with the sorters1 and look into their affairs2 but the sorters are generally ready for them1 and no sign of irregularity is visible4 ,nevertheless a certain percentage of thefts are brought to light1 and the delinquents sent to prison4 ,insurance of articles sent by post is a great safeguard1 as is shown by the fact that in one year recently the total insured value of articles posted amounted to nearly ,l#ag1jjj1jjj1 whereas the sum paid in compensation was only about ,l#ejj4 ,there are postal privileges in ,india such as ,england knows nothing of4 ,not only is there the #a_/d;d4 post card1 but there is an inland #a_/b;d4 postage1 for letters not exceeding #a_/b oz4 in weight4 ,the value of a money order is brought in cash by the postman and paid into your hand1 and the receipt that you sign is returned by the post office to the sender1 and there is no possibility of your being defrauded1 because1 if the money goes wrong on its way to you1 the post office is responsible4 ,another great convenience is what is commonly spoken of as ,v4,p4,p4--that is to say1 the value payable parcel system4 ,if you order something from a shop to be sent by post1 the postman collects the value of the parcel before he hands it over1 and the post office transmits the money to the sender4 ,if the person to whom the package is sent refuses to pay1 or if he cannot be found1 the package goes back to the sender4 ,if the goods are heavy and are forwarded by train1 the railway invoice is sent by post1 but it is not handed over by the postman until he has received the value of the goods4 ,an immense amount of trouble and correspondence is saved by this system1 and it is a great security to shopkeepers in a country where distances are great1 and many customers unknown1 or migratory1 or living in out-of-the-way places4 ,the telegraph has become rather popular amongst ,indians1 and they are inclined to use it on trivial occasions4 ,as telegrams have to be transmitted in ,english1 ,i am familiar with the nature of those sent to rustic ,indians1 because those that come to ,yerandawana always find their way to the ,mission bungalow to be interpreted4 ,amongst the more well-to-do ,indians a death is now almost always announced by telegraph4 ,it is a new and impressive way of showing respect to the deceased1 and makes it appear that he was in his lifetime an important person4 ,in cases of sickness telegrams are despatched here and there to relations1 summoning them urgently and at once1 before there has been time to ascertain whether the sickness is really serious or not4 ,relations hurry off from long distances at great expense 7how they get the money is in some cases a mystery71 and arrive perhaps to find the sick person walking about4 ,christians under similar circumstances act with just as much hasty precipitation as other ,indians4 ,a most absurd instance of the abuse of the use of the telegraph happened to one of our ,christian women4 ,she got a telegram to the effect that her son was going to be hanged on the following ,thursday1 and that she must come at once4 ,the woman brought the telegram to the ,mission-house in the utmost consternation and distress4 ,the son being rather a ne'er-do-weel1 his having got into some scrape was not improbable2 but that he should have committed murder1 and been tried and sentenced without anybody hearing of it seemed impossible4 ,a telegram was sent to the governor of the gaol where the lad was supposed to be4 ,a reply was promptly returned saying that there was no prisoner of that name in the gaol4 ,the whole thing proved to be an absurd attempt on the part of the lad himself to get his mother to come to the place where he was living4 ,to have merely telegraphed that he was ill might not have had the desired effect1 but the appalling contents of the false telegram he thought were bound to be effective4 ,the inevitable distress of his mother he does not appear to have taken into account at all4 ,telegrams are also used as a means of putting on the screw in case of a debt1 or perhaps as a means of extorting money falsely4 ,send ,rs4 #bj at once--,bring ,rs4 #e without fail to-morrow--such have been some of the village telegrams4 ,the contents of a telegram soon become public property1 because a small crowd always accompanies its recipient when he comes to have it read4 ,they listen eagerly to its contents1 discuss it at length1 and retail it to all absentees4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,indian ,,village ,,postman4 7,the white paint-marks on his forehead and cheeks indicate that ,vishnu is his special god47 ,the ,indian postman knows that he is a privileged and generally welcome visitor1 especially when he is the bearer of the bulky weekly mail from ,england4 ,he steps into the verandah1 or in at any of the many wide-open doors of the bungalow1 with a confidence and with a consciousness that there is no need to ask permission1 such as other ,indian visitors do not always feel4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,indians ,,and ,,english ,,customs ,spread of ,english customs inevitable4 ,no national dress4 ,christians and ,english dress4 ,increased refinement means increased expense2 instances of this4 ,defects in the ,indian style of dress4 ,beauty of the turban4 ,models in the ,indian ,institute4 ,the transformed policeman4 ,but why are they in ,english clothes8 ,why do they not wear their ,indian dress8 ,so said somebody when looking at a photograph of some of the ,christian lads who are working in the ,mission stables4 ,the criticism is sometimes heard that missionaries are largely responsible for the introduction of ,european dress and customs into foreign countries4 ,the charge is only partially true2 in many cases it is the restraining influence of the missionary which has done something to check the inevitable growth of foreign customs1 even at the cost of provoking some discontent amongst the members of his flock4 ,the real truth of the matter is that the spread of these customs is a tide that cannot be stayed1 and the most that can be hoped for is to help to regulate it1 so that things obviously out of place should not creep in4 ,as the knowledge of ,english spreads1 the acquisition of ,english ways gradually follows4 ,this naturally is specially the case amongst ,christians1 because so many of them are living in close touch with ,english people4 ,indian ,christians are sometimes criticised and laughed at for their frequent adoption of ,european dress1 which often involves the adjuncts of collars1 ties1 studs1 shoes1 and socks4 ,but in so doing they are not discarding a national dress1 because ,india does not possess one4 ,dress in ,india denotes religion or occupation1 not country4 ,the ample linen cloth which the ,hindu folds around his waist and therewith clothes his legs1 denotes that he is a ,hindu4 ,for that reason many ,christians do not care to retain it4 ,the ,mohammedans have their own special garb1 which of course ,christians could not adopt4 ,the ,english being a ,christian race1 it has inevitably followed that their style of dress should in ,india become associated with the idea of ,christianity1 and few people except ,christians wear it1 except that coats of ,english cut are now common amongst all classes of ,indians4 ,it is true that some missionaries who are anxious to retain ,eastern customs as far as possible are nevertheless averse to the retention of native costume1 because experience has taught them that it has serious disadvantages1 and that it is wholesome for a ,christian to be marked as such wherever he goes by what he wears4 ,added to which1 it is a well-known fact that an ,indian lad1 neatly clad in ,english style with all those adjuncts for which he is criticised1 stands a much better chance of getting work1 and at a higher rate of pay1 than would be the case if he made his application dressed with equal neatness1 but in native garments4 ,his ,english dress also secures him many little concessions and courtesies1 especially when travelling1 which he would not otherwise get4 ,illustration3 ,,narayen ,,khilari1 ,,son ,,of ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,farmers ,,in ,,the ,,village4 ,christianity rightly brings in its train aspirations for some of the refinements of civilisation1 and that these involve an increase of expenditure is inevitable4 ,indian ,christians are sometimes reproached for their inability to live on the small sum on which a ,hindu of the same station manages to exist4 ,no doubt some1 partly from inexperience1 have followed ,western ways to a foolish extent4 ,but the fact remains that a good ,christian has unavoidably more expenses than those of the average working ,hindu4 ,he cannot spend his evenings dozing in the dark1 therefore he must have a lamp1 with its usual adjuncts4 ,he has been taught to read1 and needs a few books4 ,he now and then writes a letter4 ,he reads his ,bible with his family1 and says some prayers before they go to bed4 ,his wife can sew and mend her children's clothes1 and the evening hours with the lamp are of value to her4 ,he no longer cares to go about in the scant clothing which satisfies a ,hindu4 ,he would not wish his little children to run about naked1 like those of his ,hindu neighbours4 ,he must have clean clothes for ,sunday1 and though he can do a little rough washing on his own account1 he needs the skill of the dhobie for some of his wife's garments and his white ,sunday suit4 ,he is expected to contribute liberally towards church expenses2 and where the number of ,christians in a place is few1 this burden falls rather heavily on each4 ,occasionally he needs a new prayer book or hymn book4 ,he would like to take in a weekly paper4 ,he has begun to understand a little what is meant by home life1 and so he is tempted to buy pictures and other ornaments to make his house look pleasant4 ,without a clock he cannot make much progress in the practice of punctuality1 and he buys one in order that he may get to church at the proper time4 ,greater regard for cleanliness means soap and towels4 ,he can no longer have a share in the periodical ,hindu feasts when poor people1 at any rate once in a way1 get a full belly4 ,on the contrary1 the traditional spirit of hospitality1 especially at the time of great festivals1 is often a serious drain on the resources of many ,christians1 who1 like most ,indians1 are generally generous beyond their means to all comers4 ,the ,indian ,christian also desires to have his children educated1 and though he gets a good deal of help from mission schools he does so less than formerly1 and he is often told 7and no doubt rightly7 that if he wishes education for his children he must pay for it like other people4 ,it would probably be considered almost a heresy even to suggest that the various styles of dress worn by ,indian men are not really more picturesque than many other styles4 ,a street in an ,eastern city1 with its throng of quaintly dressed people1 is much more fascinating in appearance than the sombre hues of an average ,london crowd in the winter time4 ,the rich colours and the sparkling jewels of an assembly of ,indian nobility attract the eye by their brilliance4 ,but if you separate the individuals who make up the crowd1 and take their costume into individual consideration1 you are conscious of defects4 ,the glittering array of an ,indian chief appears more adapted to feminine needs than those of a king or noble4 ,the dhota1 which takes the place of trousers amongst ,hindus1 is not really a particularly comely garment1 and its loose folds are not at all convenient for working men1 especially masons and carpenters1 who have to climb about on scaffolds4 ,the dresses of ,indian women in general may safely be accepted as being more picturesque and more convenient than the styles of female costume prevalent in ,europe4 ,and the turban for the men1 with its variety of shape and colour1 and its great practical utility as a protection from the rays of the tropical sun1 is without doubt the most artistic covering for the head that the world produces4 ,it is a sad pity that the turban is being slowly but steadily ousted by the adoption of a stupid little cloth cap1 as ugly as it is useless4 ,how hopeless it would be to attempt to decide which is the national dress out of any of those now worn in ,india1 might be realised even in ,england by a visit to a museum1 such as the ,indian ,institute in ,oxford4 ,there is there a most interesting collection of clay figures1 admirably modelled1 and coloured and draped4 ,they represent many of the various types and dresses to be found in the country4 ,these figures are made in ,poona ,city1 and are absolutely correct4 ,they do not by any means include all the varieties of costume to be seen in ,india4 ,nevertheless1 if you were to mix them all up together1 the result would very fairly represent the motley throng which you might see in the more crowded parts of ,bombay ,city1 to which place1 as a great sea-port1 people come from all parts of ,india4 ,if you were to select a person out of the throng as wearing a dress suitable for ,christians to adopt1 you would be told that that particular costume denoted either the man's religion or his occupation1 or both1 and for anyone else to wear it1 except those of the same class as himself1 would create a false impression as to the wearer's identity4 ,if you were to suggest that the costume selected might be adopted as the national dress for ,india1 you would be assured that no one would consent to wear it except the little group of people whose distinctive garb it is4 ,how much dress has to do with the appearance of an ,indian was brought home to me one day1 when a magnificent-looking policeman entered the carriage in which ,i was sitting1 at a station near ,bombay4 ,he had on a tall blue turban1 dark blue tunic with leathern belt1 loose knickerbockers1 and putties4 ,his clothes were put on with extreme neatness2 they were as spotless as those of a ,london policeman1 and the brass numbers and letters polished to the highest degree4 ,i was astonished to see this magnificent fellow rapidly divest himself of all his clothing--turban1 tunic1 knickerbockers1 putties--there would have been nothing left1 except that a ,hindu wears beneath his uniform the meagre garments which suffice for everyday life1 so that when he had got rid of everything which appertained to him as a policeman he was still fit to go into ,indian society4 ,the ordinary garments of an ,indian are scanty1 but the double set of clothing might be thought rather oppressive in the tropics4 ,but the ,indian likes to be warmly clad at any time of the year4 ,boys of the ,mission will wear comforters and warm coats well into the hot season if allowed to do so4 ,the effect of the removal of the policeman's uniform was startling4 ,he was evidently going off duty1 because he handed all his discarded belongings to a friend on the platform1 and he was only using my carriage as a dressing-room4 ,the whole process of transformation only took about two minutes1 and he then walked off in the opposite direction4 ,but no one could have supposed that there was any identity between the shabby ,hindu1 with shaved head and little pigtail and fluttering dhota1 and that fine-looking fellow who first entered the carriage4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,indian ,,unpunctuality ,on the railway4 ,the unpunctual neighbour4 ,indians' opinions concerning punctuality4 ,christianity only a partial cure4 ,servants and punctuality4 ,indians' unpunctuality at meals4 ,parable of the ,marriage ,feast4 ,patient waiting4 ,the inveterate unpunctuality of almost all ,indians is a serious obstacle to the progress of the country4 ,hours and days are wasted through their failure to keep appointments1 or to do work at the proper time4 ,the ,indian takes long to understand1 and never appreciates1 the ,englishman's craze for punctuality4 ,because the ,englishman grumbles when the ,indian is two hours late in keeping his appointment1 the latter thinks that it is only part of the former's natural unreasonableness4 ,this ,indian habit of unpunctuality would soon produce confusion and disaster on the railway4 ,for this reason ,english station-masters at the principal stations1 and ,english drivers and guards on most passenger trains are1 at present1 a necessity4 ,subordinates1 working under ,english supervision1 are obliged to hurry up4 ,parsees1 who in many ways display great business capacity1 make reliable engine-drivers4 ,but they are themselves only settlers in ,india4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,kindly ,,hindu ,,neighbour1 ,,his ,,sons ,,and ,,grandchildren4 ,it is difficult to get subordinate ,indian railway officials to realise that minutes are of importance4 ,express trains1 especially on some of the lines where the number of ,european officials is not great1 are frequently held up through the carelessness of native station-masters at roadside stations4 ,i remember an express having to wait more than ten minutes near a wretched little country station in the early morning1 the driver whistling frantically before the slumbering master1 who was the only station official1 could be roused to lower the signal4 ,when at last the train moved slowly past the station ,i saw this ,indian official in process of being withered up by the scorching language of the ,english driver4 ,but in spite of that1 the probability is that he soon repeated the offence4 ,such carelessness involves the additional risk that it tempts drivers to run past signals1 on the assumption that the signalman is asleep or inattentive to his duty4 ,a kindly ,hindu offered to drive me in his carriage to the cantonment on some business matter4 ,he suggested that we should start at seven the next morning1 and he was a little disappointed because ,i said that ,i should not be free to start till #g4cj4 ,as the carriage had not appeared at that hour the next morning1 ,i sent over to my neighbour to ask how soon he would be ready4 ,he replied1 ,in a quarter of an hour4 ,he came over himself at #h4ae to say that there was a slight delay1 but that we should very soon be off4 ,he sat talking till #h4de1 and then said he would go and expedite matters4 ,he returned in about half an hour1 and asked whether after all it might not be better if we went in the ,mission tonga4 ,but as that was not available1 he said that it was of no consequence1 because his own carriage would be ready almost directly4 ,at about a quarter to ten ,i went over to see what our prospects were1 and he then said that he thought we had better put off the expedition for that day1 and make a really early start the next morning4 ,he gave strict orders to his servant that the carriage should be ready without fail1 and soon after #f ,a4,m4 it actually appeared4 ,but even then we did not get off till nearly nine4 ,and this is only one instance of the delay and uncertainty and waste of time which occurs daily1 and many times a day1 in some phase or other1 and is a necessary feature of all ,indian affairs4 ,talking to an intelligent young ,hindu about this defect1 ,i suggested that it might be partly due to the scarcity of clocks1 and that when these became more numerous and better understood there might be some improvement4 ,the young man replied3 ,clocks and watches will make no difference2 the defect is in the ,indian nature4 ,then will this never be cured8 ,i asked4 ,probably never1 he said4 ,never1 ,i answered1 until ,christianity teaches you the value of time4 ,another ,indian1 quite independently1 expressed the same idea in almost the same words4 ,some of us have learnt to be punctual1 he said1 in our engagements with ,english people because we find that they expect it of us4 ,but we shall never be any different in this respect amongst ourselves4 ,we do not think it any drawback to be two or three hours late4 ,another ,hindu1 referring with approval to the punctuality and regularity of the services in the church1 said1 ,we also have our fixed times for our observances4 ,but the difference between us is that you keep them1 and we don't4 ,it must be confessed that ,christianity is only partially successful in curing the defect of unpunctuality4 ,both amongst priests and people1 unless there happens to be some ,englishman at hand with precise ideas about time1 there is an extraordinary vagueness as to the hour for service1 especially in country districts4 ,service begins when a sufficient number of people have arrived4 ,the bell is very little guide1 because when it has been rung and nobody comes1 it is rung again4 ,a few people turn up much too early4 ,a few more arrive just as service is over4 ,the rest have straggled in at intervals4 ,neither priest nor people are in any way troubled1 or disturbed1 or surprised at each other's want of punctuality4 ,because1 it should be added1 that even if the congregation has gathered at the proper time1 it does not follow as a matter of course that the ,indian priest will be punctual4 ,servants learn to serve meals at the appointed time when they have once grasped the idea that this is required of them1 and they do not hesitate to politely rebuke an habitually punctual master if by chance he is late4 ,if the bell for ,office at the ,mission-house does not ring precisely at the moment1 one of the house-boys is sure quickly to appear before whoever is responsible1 and will say reproachfully1 ,time is finished4 ,or1 if the response to the bell for meals is not immediate1 he will come and say sternly1 ,the bell has rung4 ,but this does not mean that they see the value of punctuality4 ,they look upon it as an ,english peculiarity which it is expedient to humour1 and which the ,englishman ought to uphold1 but it does not make them punctual in their own social or business arrangements4 ,even although most ,indians look forward to meal-time with a good deal of relish1 they cause their womenkind much inconvenience by the irregular way in which they come home to meals4 ,not only has the wife the trouble of trying to keep the dinner hot and ready for an indefinite time1 but as she never eats until her husband has been fed1 she has to fast until he returns4 ,in the parable of the ,marriage ,feast and the ,great ,supper1 we read of servants going to tell the guests1 who 7it should be noticed7 had already been invited1 that they were to come1 for all things are now ready4 ,this is what actually takes place in connection with most ,indian feasts4 ,the invitation is for a certain hour4 ,but the chance of the meal being ready at that time is very remote4 ,hence it is usual to tell the more distinguished guests1 living within reach1 that someone will come and call them when everything is really ready4 ,and the summons is expressed almost in the exact words of the parable4 ,the few people who happen to arrive at the hour mentioned in their invitation are not disturbed at having to wait for their meal for a period which may extend even to hours4 ,it is to be feared that ,english guests invited to a dinner-party at seven1 and having to wait till nine-thirty before the dinner-bell rang1 would not be in a very agreeable frame of mind by the time they sat down to table4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,indian ,,poverty ,indian squalor4 ,the ,indian's house2 how he takes his meals2 no home life2 physical results4 ,contrast of the ,brahmin doctor's home2 his little sons4 ,but without a religion4 ,the ,hindu contractor2 his visit to the ,church2 his pathetic position4 ,whether the sometimes so-called simplicity of ,indian native life is really a thing to be desired1 is a question which it may be well to ask4 ,it is1 undoubtedly1 a right general principle that each person's life should be kept as homely and simple as circumstances will allow4 ,there is1 however1 a distinction between simplicity and the squalor of sordid poverty4 ,a poor ,indian lives as he does chiefly because he cannot help himself1 and partly1 perhaps1 because he has no other ideal4 ,but it is at best an unlovely and cramping form of existence4 ,though he can sustain life on a remarkably small wage1 he is nearly always hungry1 and has so little stamina that he easily succumbs under serious sickness4 ,he wears but little clothing1 and his young children none at all4 ,but he suffers much in the rains because he has no change of garments1 and in the cold weather because his flimsy dress is no protection2 and if he gets a little money he gladly buys a blanket1 or a warm coat4 ,he has no lamp in his dwelling because he cannot afford it1 and after the early nightfall he has to pass his evening hours sitting in the dark1 when there is no moon4 ,in almost all the houses of a country village in western ,india1 and in many of the houses in towns1 there is no furniture at all4 ,sometimes there is a small cot for the baby1 hung from one of the rafters2 and now and then a somewhat larger wooden frame1 suspended in the same fashion1 is used by the grown-up members of the family to sit or sleep upon4 ,but1 as a rule1 everybody sits and sleeps on the ground4 ,the floors of the houses are invariably made of earth1 beaten down hard1 and smeared periodically with a decoction of cow-dung4 ,even a well-to-do ,indian takes his food sitting on the ground in the place where the food was cooked1 which is often a dark lean-to building1 attached to the main dwelling4 ,he takes off all his clothing except his dhota1 and eats with his fingers in silence4 ,sociality at such a time is out of place2 it diverts the mind from the business in hand1 which is that of filling the belly1 as the ,indian himself commonly expresses it4 ,the women of the household never sit down to dinner with the rest of the family4 ,they wait on the men1 and then take their own meal afterwards by themselves4 ,there is nothing elevating in the process4 ,the meal of an average ,indian ,christian family is a complete contrast4 ,poverty probably compels simplicity and frugality2 but father and mother and children sit down together1 and there is much sociality4 ,the desire to sit on chairs merely as a mark of distinction is a foolish aspiration4 ,nevertheless1 as an ,indian ,christian once expressed it to me1 ,the wish to come off the floor means that we are growing in refinement and politeness4 ,there are usually no windows in most of the older houses of the poorer people4 ,modern houses have sometimes several windows1 but they are barred and shuttered1 and from long habit are usually kept closed by preference4 ,the only movable articles in the houses of the bulk of the ,indian population are the brass and copper1 or earthenware1 cooking pots and pans1 and the prosperity of the household can be pretty accurately gauged by the quality1 number1 and condition of these utensils4 ,a few people own besides an old box or two1 generally containing an accumulation of old rags1 which nearly all ,indians seem to take an interest in collecting4 ,extra clothes1 when they have any1 are hung on large wooden pegs1 which are fixed into the walls of most rooms in ,indian dwellings4 ,one result of the comfortless and dreary aspect of the interior of an ,indian's house is that very few of them have any home life1 as we understand it4 ,the ,indian does not sit indoors1 unless compelled to do so by sickness1 or stress of weather4 ,and though the majority are satisfied so to live1 because no other manner of life is known to them1 there is nothing beautiful about it4 ,even from a purely physical point of view1 it is an unwholesome state of things4 ,the airless1 lightless houses are most unsavoury1 and in times of sickness and childbirth this is intensified4 ,it cannot be wondered at that plague1 or cholera1 or malignant fevers1 often make frightful ravages in families4 ,nor does it tend to elevate the character to sit on a mud floor dozing in the dark1 or telling scandalous stories with the children drinking in every word4 ,by way of contrast1 ,i recall the country home of a ,brahmin doctor1 who has built himself a house at ,yerandawana as a haven of refuge in time of plague4 ,it is surrounded by a little garden1 radiant with flowers4 ,it lacks the neatness of an ,english garden1 nevertheless it is something far away ahead of anything which any of his neighbours have attempted4 ,his name means seven sons4 ,he has already got six1 and is hoping for the seventh4 ,these six little sons are dressed in ordinary ,english boys' dress4 ,they are frequent visitors at the ,mission bungalow4 ,it may1 of course1 be only ,english prejudice which makes this dress appear to me better for the boys themselves than the scant garments of the ,indian4 ,instead of the usual shorn head and small pigtail1 their glossy hair1 very neat in the case of the elder boys1 tumbled about in the case of the younger ones1 is a delightful contrast4 ,but to look in at the open door in the evening at their home life1 as ,i have often done1 is entirely convincing4 ,a table is in the middle of the room covered with a red cloth2 there is a bright lamp1 a few pictures are on the walls1 and the party of cheerful boys are sitting round the table4 ,some are playing games1 others are drawing1 some are looking at books4 ,though in such a different clime1 the sight brought back the memory of winter evenings in boyish days at home4 ,this ,hindu doctor has practically parted with his religion4 ,there are probably no objects of worship in his country home1 except a ,tulsi plant on a pedestal in the back compound4 ,this plant is a good deal venerated by women1 and no doubt was provided for the benefit of the ladies of his household4 ,but although it is some gain to have given up idolatrous customs1 and to have adopted some of the refinements of civilised life1 he and his little family are in the unhappy condition at present of being without a religion4 ,a ,hindu contractor1 who was visiting the church one day1 surprised me by saying1 as he turned towards one of the pictures hanging on the walls3 ,this is the baptism of ,christ--the river is the ,jordan4 ,he was baptized by ,john4 ,i asked him how he knew all these facts4 ,he replied that he had been educated at a ,jesuit school1 and that he had learnt them there4 ,i said that1 having been brought up under such circumstances1 and having learnt so much and being now well advanced in years1 how was it that he was still a ,hindu4 ,he answered3 ,i cannot tell4 ,all ,i know is that now ,i do not know what ,i am4 ,he asked many intelligent questions4 ,amongst the rest1 did we hear confessions8 ,he was a type of a constantly increasing number of educated men1 who1 although outwardly appearing as ,hindus1 only practise the minimum of religious observances1 and have no belief at all4 ,amongst these are men1 like the ,brahmin doctor1 who have imbibed something of the spirit of ,christianity from what they have heard and seen1 and are distinctly the better for having dropped so much of their ,hinduism4 ,but their position is a pathetic one1 because so few of them have the courage to act upon the considerable measure of truth which has come home to them4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,indian ,,art ,intrusion of ,western ideas2 unfortunate result4 ,royal palaces4 ,carving and balustrades2 graceful domestic utensils2 their high polish4 ,native jewellery2 beautiful examples in villages4 ,incongruous pictures from ,europe4 ,indian oil paintings2 effect of ,christianity on ,indian art2 wall decorations4 ,women's taste in colour4 ,indian art is sadly degenerating through the intrusion of inferior ,western designs4 ,modern houses in most ,indian cities lack the artistic grace which distinguishes many of the old houses of wealthy people4 ,part of the beauty of many ancient dwellings in ,poona ,city is to be found in their admirable proportions4 ,modern houses in ,india are often built in a pseudo-,gothic style1 with barbarous innovations in the shape of base metal-work and glaring coloured glass1 and in which all sense of proportion has been hopelessly lost4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,modern ,,house ,,in ,,poona ,,city1 ,,built ,,by ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,indian ,,clergy4 ,some of the modern palaces of ,indian ,rajahs are built and furnished in this style1 at an immense cost1 and with most incongruous results4 ,whereas many of the old palaces1 and those of northern ,india in particular1 afford beautiful examples of royal residences1 well adapted to the needs of ,indians1 and yet capable of being modified for the use of modern-minded rulers who have adopted some of the household arrangements of the ,west4 ,sir ,swinton ,jacob has shown in the fairy-like palace which he built at ,jeypore1 but which internally you find exactly suited to the requirements of a modern museum1 how possible it is to adapt ,indian architecture to present-day needs4 ,there is a good deal of carving1 effectively placed and graceful in design and skilfully executed1 both on the outside and inside of old houses in the ,city of ,poona2 and the balustrades that form the front of the narrow verandahs1 which run along so many of the houses with happy effect1 afford charming specimens of what the turner's craft can accomplish4 ,but nowadays ironwork1 such as adorns a cheap bedstead1 more often than not is substituted for the graceful balustrade1 and some tawdry decoration1 or coarsely-cut stone corbel1 takes the place of the picturesque carved woodwork4 ,the graceful outline of pots and pans used in ,indian households has often been remarked upon1 and happily at present there are no signs of degeneration in this department of domestic life4 ,the traditional shapes still hold their ground2 and even quite common utensils1 made of coarse earthenware1 are pleasing to look at4 ,the more costly brass and copper vessels in ordinary daily use are delightful examples of how much beauty can be got out of an artistic outline1 even when there is an entire absence of ornamentation4 ,in the midst of a vast amount of apparent disregard for cleanliness1 there are certain matters about which a ,hindu is excessively particular4 ,the metal cups and pans must be polished up to the highest pitch of perfection1 and though the ,hindu woman will take the dust or mud of the street for her polishing powder1 the result of her labours is that the vessels shine brilliantly4 ,they are the more beautiful because1 in order that cleanliness may be assured by the smooth1 unbroken surface1 they are quite unadorned4 ,it has sometimes been discussed whether the specimens of old ,indian brass in museums should be polished or not1 and some collectors carefully preserve the old tarnish4 ,it would be impossible in the ,english climate to keep the objects continually bright1 without infinite labour2 but it is well to remember1 in considering the artistic merits of any brazen article1 that its original normal condition was one of high polish4 ,native jewellery is also being influenced for the worse by the infusion of ,western ideas4 ,the ,indian workers in gold and silver are apt now to imitate the design of the cheap jewellery imported from ,europe1 and they are not aware that their own traditional designs are really much the most beautiful4 ,many of the chains and necklaces and bracelets worn by villagers1 both male and female1 are the best examples of unadulterated ,indian art1 because modern ideas and shapes have not yet reached them2 or1 if they see some of these new devices when they come to give their order to the goldsmith in the city1 they are still conservative enough to prefer the designs of their forefathers4 ,there are quaint and ingenious devices for fastening the necklaces1 and part of the charm of the primitive handiwork is its individual character1 shown in a certain roughness and want of rigid symmetry4 ,in the houses of the more old-fashioned wealthy ,hindus1 in their big reception-room1 only rarely used1 may be seen curious examples of the mistakes which may be made so easily when introducing objects of art from another country without adequate knowledge4 ,pictures from ,england1 interspersed with mirrors1 form the chief decoration on the walls of many of these saloons4 ,they are hung almost touching each other1 very high up1 like the sky-ed line of the ,royal ,academy1 but with nothing on the walls below1 and they often present a most curious jumble3 a few good engravings2 gaudy pictures1 first issued as advertisements2 portraits of persons1 known and unknown2 worthless prints in gorgeous frames2 and a picture with some merit1 stuck all awry in a frame which does not belong to it4 ,in the houses of a younger generation you will see large oil paintings by modern ,indian artists1 in heavy gilt frames and properly hung1 although still rather higher than is usual with us4 ,some are family portraits2 some are scenes from the histories of the gods4 ,the colours used are exceedingly brilliant1 and the picture itself is often painted on a very bright background4 ,the drawing1 which used to be the defective part of ,indian pictures1 is much improving now that drawing has become a regular part of the education of the ,indian boy4 ,it is rather difficult to judge of the artistic value of a picture painted in a style so unlike ,western models4 ,but on the whole one is led to think that the brilliant colours are suited to the country1 and that they are blended with astonishing taste1 considering the extreme difficulty of blending happily hues of such a pronounced character4 ,if only the study of ,western examples helps to purify the ,indian style without destroying its individuality1 one would hope that ,indian artists will eventually produce pictures which will have a great charm of their own4 ,their mythology for the most part only supplies them with gods whose traditional form is either grotesque1 or repulsive1 or sensual4 ,but when ,christianity has been accepted1 and incorporated into the lives of the people1 the wide field for artistic and religious effect which will then open out will give new scope1 and one may expect some very striking results when familiar scenes of sacred story are depicted by the ,eastern pencil and brush4 ,indians are fond of decorating the outside whitewashed walls of their temples and houses with mural paintings4 ,they often present a quaint mixture of hunting-scenes1 and animals and gods1 and soldiers and ,indians and ,europeans4 ,one such fresco1 on the wall of the house of the headman of ,yerandawana village1 is a most comical reproduction of the garden front of ,windsor ,castle1 taken from an ,illustrated ,london ,news1 but embellished with many ,indian characteristics4 ,the purely decorative part of these wall pictures is often graceful and harmonious1 and one can look forward to the day when the ,christian ,indian artist will joyfully decorate1 in his own traditional style1 the bare white walls of the village ,church of ,st ,crispin1 and beautiful saints and angels will take the place of the dethroned gods4 ,the1 often richly coloured1 garments of the ,indian woman1 whether poor or rich1 are always in perfect taste and harmony2 even the ,parsee ladies1 who boldly use colours of astonishing brilliancy in their dresses1 seem to be able to do so without producing that amazing discord of colour which greets the traveller from the ,east as he comes back ,westwards into the streets of a ,european city4 ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,indian ,,village ,the village ,panchayat2 a rough and ready tribunal2 its decisions4 ,magisterial trial of offences on the spot4 ,the ,christian ,panchayat2 its doubtful results2 fans the spirit of discord2 undesirable reiteration of incidents4 ,want of wholesome reserve4 ,knowledge of evil4 ,out-caste villagers no longer servile2 disposal of dead carcases2 burial of strangers4 ,mahars growing prosperous4 ,in ,indian villages there is what is called a ,panchayat1 or committee of five1 for the settlement of disputes1 although of late years many of the ,panchayats have become practically moribund4 ,the members of this council are chosen from the leading men of the village4 ,all kinds of disputes can be submitted to this court of arbitration1 from cases of cattle trespass1 or doubtful land boundaries1 to breaches of ,hindu religious custom4 ,it is the ,panchayat which has the power to out-caste a man--a dreaded punishment--which means that his relations and friends will no longer hold intercourse with him2 no one will hand him food or water2 shopkeepers may refuse to serve him2 and if he dies1 none of his own people will bury or cremate him1 but his body will be left to be disposed of by the scavengers4 ,illustration3 ,,mrs ,,salome ,,zadhaw4 ,the ,panchayat is only a rough and ready way of settling disputes1 or punishing minor offences4 ,much of the evidence in the cases which come before it is either false or else grossly distorted4 ,the members of the ,panchayat are already probably prejudiced either for or against the offender1 and make no attempt to rise above their prejudices4 ,any one of them will side with the party who will make it worth his while to do so4 ,the final decision may1 or may not1 be in accordance with the facts of the case4 ,the guilty person1 if an offence has been committed1 may escape2 and an innocent person1 who has few friends and little to offer1 may get punished4 ,men who are poor and unpopular sometimes get sorely bullied1 and even ill-treated1 in an ,indian village4 ,nevertheless1 at present the ,panchayat has its use in ,hindu ,india1 and the prospect of being brought under its power is a wholesome terror4 ,when ,india has progressed a stage further this primitive mode of procedure1 already a good deal discredited1 will no doubt be superseded altogether4 ,unfortunately1 even in more august tribunals where the desire to be true and just is uppermost1 false evidence is so rife that there has to be a good deal of guesswork1 and calculations of probabilities1 when trying to come to a right decision4 ,it has lately been advocated that magistrates should1 when practicable1 hold their preliminary trial of offences in the village where the misdemeanour is alleged to have taken place4 ,the witnesses under these circumstances are more disposed to give a true account of what has happened4 ,they are surrounded by neighbours who know1 to some extent1 whether they are speaking the truth or not1 and are apt to betray them in case of falsehood4 ,but if the inquiry takes place at a city police-court1 the witnesses come in contact with the false witnesses1 and bad characters1 and petty lawyers 7or pleaders as they are called71 who hang about in the vicinity1 and the usual result is that having been tampered with by some interested person1 all hopes of an honest narrative are at an end4 ,there is a laudable desire to adapt ,indian customs to the needs of ,indian ,christians4 ,the result has not always been the success which was hoped for4 ,the truth is1 that what may be advantageous in the heathen world may be quite otherwise when applied to the circumstances of the ,christian community4 ,because it was the old custom in ,hindu villages to settle difficulties1 secular and religious1 by a ,panchayat1 it was thought that it would be advantageous to exercise discipline in the ,church in the same way4 ,it was well to give it a trial1 but many begin to doubt its applicability4 ,the ,indian often is1 like many others1 a man of strong prejudices1 and even ,christianity is not altogether successful in uprooting this fault4 ,his likes and dislikes are pronounced1 and are not always according to reason4 ,certain excellent people will side with a pronounced wrongdoer1 for no apparent cause2 not necessarily from a charitable desire to give him another chance4 ,also1 the pleasing ,indian characteristic of regard for family relationship1 which is so strong1 leads to an anxiety to belittle the wrongdoings of anyone who can claim kinship1 and this may be carried even to the verge of distortion1 or suppression of the truth4 ,anyhow1 the conclusions of the ,christian ,panchayat are1 not unfrequently1 singularly at variance with what would appear to be the right verdict4 ,there is another reason why the ,panchayat1 as applied to ,christian congregations1 is not altogether wholesome4 ,the true spirit of charity is a difficult virtue to acquire4 ,when two people quarrel1 unless they quickly forgive1 they are generally anxious to air their grievance4 ,indians in particular wish the whole matter gone into with elaboration1 so that1 as they say1 justice may be done4 ,the ,panchayat gives exactly the opening which they crave4 ,a quarrel between two neighbours1 which ought to have been quickly adjusted by mutual forgiveness1 becomes a subject of endless discussion4 ,many others get dragged into it2 and the spirit of discord1 instead of being laid to rest by the proceedings of the ,panchayat1 often finds a greatly enlarged scope for mischief4 ,in bringing a case of immorality before this tribunal the evil is intensified4 ,the matter is gone into minutely1 with much freedom of expression4 ,nor does it end there4 ,the members of the ,panchayat return to their homes1 and1 with the fullest detail1 repeat to wife and children the incidents that the inquiry has disclosed4 ,for days it is the all-engrossing subject of conversation4 ,there is no reserve amongst us in the sense that you ,english people have it1 said a leading ,indian ,christian to me2 there is nothing which our children do not know4 ,consulting an intelligent ,christian ,indian on the difficult question as to how much might be said with safety when warning the young on the subject of purity1 he replied3 ,it is impossible to teach them anything which they do not know already4 ,other people talk to them1 and the youngest know all that there is to be known4 ,it should be added1 that although with very few exceptions this is certainly true1 the knowledge of evil does not1 as a matter of course1 produce evil1 and there are many ,indian ,christian lads who1 sustained by the power of sacramental grace1 are leading lives of exemplary self-control1 while living in circumstances of great temptation4 ,whatever may have been the case in years gone by1 the out-caste people of a village are not now the downtrodden1 servile folk such as they are commonly supposed to be1 although there are still instances of individual oppression4 ,most of them are leading more wholesome lives than those of the richer1 self-indulgent men1 and this is evidenced by their more vigorous and manly frame4 ,they are1 to some extent1 at the beck and call of the chief men of the place1 and more especially of the ,patel1 but they are independent in their bearing1 and obey cheerfully without cringing4 ,some of their duties may sound unsavoury4 ,as1 for instance1 they are responsible for the removal of a dead carcase found within the village boundary4 ,but if it is the body of an animal fit for food1 such as a buffalo1 sheep1 or goat1 they feast upon it themselves1 quite regardless of what disease it may have died of4 ,a buffalo belonging to the ,mission died from snake-bite1 as it was supposed1 though that sometimes is only another name for wilful poisoning4 ,the disposal of its immense carcase seemed a perplexity4 ,but just as we were considering this point1 we saw the buffalo travelling away at a rapid pace on the shoulders of the village ,mahars1 who took it as their natural perquisite1 and did not think it necessary to wait for leave4 ,the horns1 hoofs1 skin1 and bones are marketable commodities1 so that1 besides the feast1 they often make a good thing out of agricultural tragedies4 ,the same class of men are responsible for any stray burials1 which are not at all uncommon in a country where there are many homeless wanderers1 some of whom1 when weary and ill1 just lie down by the roadside and die4 ,the ,mahars of the nearest village bury the nameless corpse4 ,the clothes of the dead man are sufficient recompense for hasty interment in a shallow grave1 and the jackals the next night probably discover1 and make short work of1 the corpse4 ,i have seen the body of some such poor wanderer1 with scarcely a rag upon it1 slung upon a pole and carried like a dead dog by a couple of ,mahars along the high-road to a place of burial4 ,many low-caste men have1 of late years1 grown prosperous and acquired land of their own4 ,in the neighbourhood of cities some of them get well-paid posts as night-watchmen1 and as they are often frugal people1 they gradually put by a good deal of money4 ,the servants of ,europeans are also largely drawn from this class1 and a capable servant is able to secure wages which1 together with pickings in the shape of tips and perquisites1 enable him to save4 ,the low-caste people of a village often present a brilliant appearance when they turn out in holiday attire on some festal day1 and the gold ornaments of the women sufficiently indicate their prosperous condition4 ,that they have their own quarter1 outside the village proper1 does not cause them any searchings of heart4 ,they come into the village freely1 and talk and mix with the other people1 and ,mahar boys often play with the other children4 ,but when there is a village feast they have1 of course1 to sit quite apart4 ,illustration3 ,,ragu1 ,,the ,,night ,,watchman4 ,there are indications that the village low-caste people are beginning to retaliate for whatever oppression they may have had to undergo1 by becoming rather insolent to their betters4 ,some of them are also using the facilities for education which late years have put within their reach with good effect1 and have gradually risen to positions of importance in ,government and other service4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,indian ,,entertainments ,indian titles4 ,the ,inamdar4 ,the pan supari party4 ,mohammedan saints4 ,the nautch2 why objectionable4 ,the ,inamdar's house2 its decorations2 furniture4 ,mohammedan full-dress4 ,the guests2 nature of the entertainment4 ,the guests garlanded2 no hostess4 ,general conclusions2 not an occasion for a missionary4 ,the titles belonging to ,indians of real or imaginary importance take up an astonishing amount of space on paper4 ,i received an invitation to what is called on the card1 a pan supari party4 ,the person who issues the invitation is1 so the card informs me1 ,sardar ,khanbahadur ,kazi ,sayed ,azimodin ,gulamodin ,pirzade ,inamdar4 ,his real name is ,azimodin4 ,the rest could be dispensed with4 ,he is the ,mohammedan chief of ,yerandawana4 ,part of the revenue of that village was1 at some distant date1 allotted to a mosque in ,poona ,city4 ,it is therefore called an ,inam village1 and the holder of the grant is called the ,inamdar1 the word inam meaning grant4 ,a small percentage of the ,government land tax is paid over to the ,inamdar1 and he has other small perquisites1 such as the fruit of certain trees4 ,he also has some privileges connected with the river which flows past ,yerandawana2 as1 for instance1 gravel cannot be taken from it without paying him a royalty4 ,he also has certain rights over the stone quarries and the pasturage on some of the hills4 ,pan supari is the betel nut wrapped up in a leaf1 which is distributed to guests on festal occasions1 and chewed by those who like it4 ,it is one of the few things which can be accepted and eaten without prejudice to caste4 ,just as in ,england you might be asked to a tea party1 so here in ,india we were asked to a pan supari party2 only1 unfortunately1 there is nothing very satisfying in the betel nut1 although all ,indians are fond of it4 ,mohammedans have a great respect for the memory of those of their number whom they regard as saints2 whether they are technically or actually such does not seem to matter much4 ,many of their tombs may be noticed in cities and villages1 or by the roadside under some spreading tree4 ,the festival of each local saint is kept by the ,mohammedans of that locality with prayers and feasting and merrymaking for several days4 ,the occasion of the pan supari party was the festival of the local saint of the mosque which adjoined the ,inamdar's house in the city4 ,the saint's names and titles were also of formidable dimensions--,peer ,sayed ,hisamodin ,kattal ,junjani ,chishte4 ,i consulted another friendly ,mohammedan as to whether ,i could safely accept the invitation without running the risk of finding myself a sharer in festivities of a doubtful character4 ,he said that these sort of festivals always commenced with great propriety1 but often degenerated as they proceeded4 ,but that the pan supari party to which ,english were invited was sure to be eminently respectable1 while the concluding days would probably be devoted to singing and dancing of the usual dubious kind4 ,unfortunately1 parties to which ,english are invited by both ,hindus and ,mohammedans are not always free from objectionable features4 ,not unfrequently part of the entertainment is dancing1 and sometimes singing1 by professional performers4 ,english people sometimes plead that there is nothing particularly objectionable in the nature of the dance1 and that the singing is in a language which they do not understand4 ,but it is the character of the women who dance and sing which some ,english people are not aware of4 ,they are invariably professional women of bad character1 because no other kind of ,indian woman ever takes part in public performances of this nature in the presence of men4 ,and it is on this ground that ,christians ought always to refuse invitations to any festivity in which a nautch1 or dance1 is put down as one of the events1 stating politely the reason of refusal4 ,indians often arrange for entertainments of this kind because they imagine that it is the sort of thing which ,europeans enjoy4 ,a few officials of high rank have done good service by intimating that they do not wish to be entertained in this manner4 ,i accepted the ,inamdar's invitation4 ,i thought it might be useful experience4 ,the hour was from five to six4 ,the address was nearly as long as the host's name--,badi ,darga1 ,riverside1 ,zuni ,mandai1 in front of ,shanwar ,wada1 ,kasba ,peth1 ,poona ,city4 ,but1 in spite of these precise directions1 it would have been a difficult place for anyone to find who was not pretty well acquainted with the labyrinths of the old city4 ,sometimes one is tempted to smile as one thinks of the splendour of ,eastern entertainments1 or of the gorgeous ,east1 as it exists in the imagination of many ,english people1 or in the mind of the newspaper correspondent of an ,eastern tour4 ,the triumphal arch at the entrance of the narrow lane leading to the ,inamdar's house might have made an effective ,indian photograph for home consumption4 ,but the poles1 draped with pink muslin1 were a grateful sight only because they told us that we were on the right track4 ,also1 a coat of gravel newly spread along the lane was a welcome indication that there was no need to walk with the caution which is expedient in most of the streets of ,poona ,city4 ,the ,inamdar's house is by the river side1 and the river being at that time in flood and full from bank to bank1 it would have been a picturesque sight1 if it had not been for the colour of the water1 which gave the impression of a river of rolling mud4 ,this is the case with most ,indian rivers1 and detracts a good deal from their beauty4 ,the buildings forming the ,inamdar's establishment enclosed an irregular sort of courtyard4 ,on one side of this was the mosque and the tomb of the saint4 ,the residential part of the premises formed another side1 into which the mixed assembly of a pan supari party would not be allowed to penetrate4 ,a third side of the courtyard was occupied by a long1 low1 whitewashed shed1 open in front1 and with a few small windows at the back looking on to the river1 and this was arranged for the reception of the guests4 ,it was elaborately festooned with paper flowers and other adornments1 something after the fashion of ,christmas-tree decorations4 ,the effect was more gay than artistic4 ,i have never been able to ascertain where the particular sort of furniture originally came from which adorns the reception-rooms of ,indians who are in a position to occasionally entertain distinguished guests4 ,it is a little like what is sometimes seen on the stage4 ,the sofas and chairs are very ornate1 and equally uncomfortable4 ,the carpets are often really handsome1 because their design and manufacture is an art which is thoroughly understood in the ,east1 and in more primitive days they would have formed almost the only furniture of a reception-hall4 ,out in the compound were flowers in pots1 after the manner of an ,indian garden1 and a few trees1 as well as one or two tombs of ,mohammedan saints of a somewhat lower rank than ,peer ,sayed ,hisamodin4 ,a strip of red cloth from the place where carriages were to set down1 indicated that visitors were to make their way into the shed4 ,i was amongst the earliest arrivals1 and was received by the ,inamdar and his son with all that graceful courtesy which no one knows better how to show than an ,indian4 ,the full dress of a ,mohammedan is striking and effective4 ,they never of course wear the dhota1 which is the garment of ,hindus1 but they wear instead trousers1 fitting very close at the foot1 but of great width in the upper part4 ,i thought it prudent to ask what the order of proceedings would be4 ,they told me that there would be a little music1 and distribution of garlands and pan supari1 and finally dancing4 ,i replied that ,i could not witness the last item in the programme4 ,the ,inamdar's son intimated that this item would not come off till later on in the evening1 when the ,europeans would have left4 ,i asked him how they could be willing to receive into their house women of the character of the dancers4 ,he looked sheepish1 and was no doubt relieved that another arrival called him away4 ,we presented a curious medley when all were assembled4 ,a ,hindu ,collector drove up in his motor car1 faultlessly dressed in ,english clothes1 and so like a courteous ,european in his general bearing that1 except for his white and gold turban1 it might have been difficult to suppose that he was not one4 ,many ,indians are1 comparatively speaking1 very fair1 and if you are living habitually in the country you become almost oblivious to shades of complexion4 ,the ,english ,collector also arrived1 with his wife4 ,collectors are1 of course1 magistrates and officials of importance4 ,the ,commissioner of the division followed1 who is senior to a ,collector4 ,mohammedans1 ,hindus1 and a few ,parsees arrived1 some in smart carriages1 a few in hired conveyances1 and others on foot4 ,another motor car with an ,indian owner drove up4 ,at present the dash1 and go1 and smartness of a motor-car seem strangely out of keeping with the spirit of leisure1 and delay1 and general shabbiness so marked in things ,indian4 ,when the party might be said to be in full swing ,i do not know that it was much duller1 or more pointless1 than receptions in ,england4 ,certainly a cup of tea is more refreshing than the fragment of betel nut wrapped up in a leaf and enclosed in a piece of gold paper4 ,few ,europeans have courage to eat it1 but it should always be accepted1 and after your departure you can gladden the heart of any native by giving it to him4 ,a few ,indians provide spirituous drinks for their ,english visitors1 under the idea that they cannot exist without a whisky peg4 ,and1 indeed1 it is said that some young ,english guests confirm this belief by the use they make of the drinks provided4 ,a couple of ,mohammedan men came forward1 and seating themselves on a carpet gave a brief musical performance1 after which a man sung a song with an air of such comical affectation that it was difficult to maintain the serious gravity with which the ,indian part of the audience listened to him4 ,preparations for a photograph of the assembled company commencing1 it was an indication that it was time for me to depart4 ,all the more distinguished guests had been previously decorated with garlands of pink roses and white jasmine1 and in addition they were given a kind of sceptre1 made of the same sort of flowers tied to a short stick4 ,the less remarkable people received an inferior garland and a single rose with a few leaves1 made up like a button-hole2 and a certain unimportant residuum did not receive any decoration at all4 ,perhaps what1 to ,english eyes1 appeared the most obvious blot in the proceedings was the absence of any hostess4 ,both the old ,inamdar and his son had several wives1 but except the ,english ladies who came as guests1 there were no females of any sort visible4 ,one of these ladies asked me whether the ,inamdar would be displeased if she suggested a visit to his wife1 because she had once met her at one of those parties which some kindly ,english people have tried to organise for the benefit of the more exclusive women who live behind the purdah1 or curtain4 ,so ,i told the ,inamdar that the ,madam ,sahib would be pleased to visit his ,madam ,sahib4 ,he smiled1 and bowed1 and made a little bustle as if he was going to make arrangements for it1 but ,i do not think that anything came of it4 ,the point that ,i was anxious to learn from my attendance at the ,inamdar's party was whether1 on the whole1 it is advantageous for ,english people to accept such invitations or not4 ,the conclusion that ,i came to was that1 since it helps to some extent to bring about a mutual understanding1 it is a good thing for kindly ,government officials and their ladies to do1 but that it is not the sort of occasion when there is scope for a missionary4 ,as a guest he is bound to be courteous to his host1 and if any practice is indulged in which may call for rebuke1 it is not easy to administer it without the appearance of rudeness4 ,already some modern-minded ,hindus urge that all religions are alike1 and that ,christianity being suited to ,europeans and the ,eastern religions to the people of the ,east1 there is no need to change4 ,if the teachers of ,christianity share in the social gatherings of educated ,indians with the politeness and cordiality which such occasions demand1 it may foster the impression that unbelief and idolatry are no real barriers to mutual unity of heart1 and that one religion is as good as another4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,conversion ,,of ,,india ,missions still in the experimental stage4 ,effect of education on conversion4 ,brahmins and conversion4 ,caution needed in time of famine4 ,people applying for work2 caution again necessary4 ,india and dissent2 rival organisations1 effect on the heathen2 dissenters drawing to the ,church4 ,it is an evidence of the perplexity which attends mission work in ,india that many apparently elementary principles are still undecided questions and subjects of discussion4 ,things are still in the experimental stage4 ,almost every conceivable form of missionary enterprise has been attempted2 but the result is that no one method in any department stands out as being signally better than another4 ,perhaps the only definite conclusion that has been arrived at is the obvious one1 that the man is of more importance than the method1 and where there has been marked progress it has always been the personality of the worker1 sanctified and energised by ,god's grace1 which has been the moving power4 ,the conversion of ,india has been a slower and more difficult task than some people at one time anticipated4 ,possibly it has been hindered by too much haste at the outset4 ,india has to be gradually educated up to ,christianity4 ,at one time it was thought that the best way to do this was to provide an advanced secular education1 and that the mind thus elevated would be ready to grasp and accept spiritual truths4 ,no doubt this has been the result in a few instances1 but the more general outcome has been that secular interests have become so absorbing that spiritual matters have been crowded out1 and the mind has proved less rather than more receptive4 ,great efforts have been made to reach the so-called high-caste men of ,india4 ,this was done1 partly under the idea that their traditional intelligence and opportunities of education would make them specially capable of religious thought1 and partly because it was felt that the conversion of some of the leading men of ,india would surely result in the conversion of the rest4 ,there have been many notable conversions of ,brahmins1 so that these efforts cannot be said to have been wholly without result4 ,but it must be added that the results do not seem commensurate with the amount of labour and money which has been expended in this particular direction4 ,it was1 perhaps1 not sufficiently taken into account that mere intellect may in itself be a barrier to the reception of spiritual truth1 unless there is also the grace of humility and the desire to be taught4 ,a ,brahmin who has been trained from his earliest boyhood to think himself worthy of divine honour1 naturally finds it difficult to sit at the feet of a foreign teacher who preaches the need of repentance4 ,nor does the conversion of a ,brahmin lead to the conversion of other ,indians to the extent that might have been expected4 ,possibly the unpopularity of ,brahmins as a class1 although they are still to some extent venerated and feared1 may partly account for the fact that the conversion of some of them has not made others anxious to follow their lead4 ,in the case of low-caste people the conversion of a few has1 in many instances1 led on to the conversion of large numbers4 ,the multitude of village folk who have1 at various times1 pressed forward for baptism has been in certain places a real perplexity4 ,the clerical staff has been wholly inadequate to deal with them1 and the greater part of their instruction has had to be left to lay teachers1 not very competent for the task4 ,in some of the earlier famines missionaries were not always sufficiently alive to the risk of people professing a desire for ,christianity1 when their real motive was the hope of getting special consideration when famine relief was distributed4 ,in some districts serious lapses took place after the distress was over4 ,it is now the almost universal rule in missions1 in order to avoid the risk of imposture1 not to baptize any converts during the period when a district is suffering from famine4 ,the time of probation before baptism has also been gradually prolonged in most ,church missions4 ,but some workers1 in their natural eagerness for the extension of ,christ's kingdom1 are perhaps too ready to accept the protestations of ignorant people in poor circumstances who say that they wish to become ,christians4 ,the work which is given to them as a test is1 almost of necessity1 lighter than that which they have previously been accustomed to do4 ,whether the limited amount of genuine spiritual desire probable in such cases should be accepted as sufficient1 is difficult to decide4 ,some of the older missions1 with an experience covering a long period1 make it their invariable rule not to accept a religious inquirer for definite instruction if he is out of work4 ,he is told that he must first get work1 and then come for instruction4 ,not unfrequently people who come to a mission applying for work1 say that if this is provided they are willing to become ,christians4 ,when the village church of ,st ,crispin was building1 quite a number of ,hindus at different times asked for the post of caretaker of the building when completed4 ,and when it was urged in reply that a ,christian church ought to have a ,christian caretaker1 several of them said that if the post was given to them1 they were ready to conform as regards ,christianity4 ,some dissenters still baptize rashly1 with scarcely any probation and less teaching1 and some have drifted so far from gospel truth that they receive converts into their society without baptizing them at all4 ,india has both suffered and gained from the number of religious sects who have sent missionaries to convert her4 ,no religious society seems to think its machinery complete unless it has a mission in ,india4 ,the point of view from which she may be said to have gained from this is1 that where the need of workers is so great1 any ,christian teachers who are in earnest are1 in a sense1 welcome4 ,nor are theological differences so acute in the pioneer stage of work1 when only elementary principles are being taught4 ,but1 on the other hand1 the result is a bewildering multiplication of missionary efforts4 ,apart from the amount of conflicting and erroneous teaching which is ultimately the inevitable outcome1 there is a great waste of energy and funds in the support of a number of organisations which might be concentrated into one4 ,also1 rivalry amongst missions of conflicting opinions has resulted in mission stations being planted in close proximity to each other4 ,roman ,catholics in particular are offenders in this respect4 ,the consequence is that1 while on the one hand some districts are overdone with mission workers1 on the other hand there are vast tracts of country without any4 ,the varied forms in which ,christianity is thus presented is not so great a stumbling-block to the heathen people as might be thought likely4 ,hindus and ,mohammedans are themselves divided up into such numerous sects that they are not much surprised to find that such is the case amongst ,christians4 ,but it is amongst earnest-minded ,indians who have been baptized by dissenters that difficulties develop4 ,as the spiritual energies of the convert from ,hinduism become more pronounced1 he often begins to crave for what the religious system in which he finds himself is unable to give4 ,if such souls come into touch with ,catholic influences1 they often discover that it is the grace of the sacraments which their souls are needing1 and there is amongst ,indian ,christians a fairly steady flow from dissent into the ,church4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,mission ,,work ,,in ,,india ,transfer of responsibility to ,indians4 ,clergy desiring independence4 ,indian characteristics will remain4 ,want of tidiness2 experiences in an ,indian ,priest's parish4 ,english stiffness4 ,indian ,suffragan ,bishops4 ,the ,indian ,bishop's ,confirmation4 ,changes of head in a mission4 ,english workers losing sympathy2 consequent loss2 need for prayer concerning this4 ,the opinion of an old missionary2 too much of the individual1 too little of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,one of the perplexities of mission work in ,india is how best to gradually transfer ,european responsibility and control to the people of the country4 ,some of the attempts in this direction not having been altogether a success1 there have been missionaries who1 despairing of any other arrangement1 went into the opposite extreme and endeavoured to keep everything in their own hands4 ,their attitude also towards their native workers1 and even towards their brother priests1 was not of a nature calculated to draw out loyal and cheerful service4 ,amongst ,indian clergy there is a widespread desire for greater independence and responsibility1 backed up by many of the laity1 and unless it can be rightly met in some way1 it might easily become a serious danger4 ,if people are ever to learn to run alone1 they must be given the opportunity of doing so4 ,if some stumble in the attempt1 that is only what must be expected at first4 ,amongst a few failures1 there are other instances in which the experiment of leaving the management of affairs to ,indians has been all that could be wished4 ,indian priests have been put in charge of wide districts which they have shepherded with unwearied labour2 and when congregations are apparently backward in the financial support of their church1 they will nearly always rise to the occasion manfully and do all that is required1 if the management of the church funds is definitely put into their own hands4 ,it is a mistake to expect to find in the government of affairs by ,indians certain characteristics which are essentially ,english4 ,the ,indian ,christian remains an ,indian1 and from some points of view it is best that so it should be4 ,exactness and order and punctuality are matters which most ,englishmen think much of4 ,most ,indians think little of them1 and few pay much attention to them4 ,a really neat house or field is rarely to be seen in native ,india4 ,the sort of neatness and order which an ,english priest thinks of importance in the church under his care would never be found in the church of even the most conscientious ,indian priest4 ,it usually takes a long course of patient training before the ,indian representative of the ,english parish clerk learns how to lay a carpet1 or to put kneelers or chairs1 straight4 ,and though he learns his lesson at last1 and then for ever does it rightly in the prescribed way1 he does not himself see any benefit in it4 ,and the crooked carpet and irregular row of chairs1 which would disturb the devotions of the lady workers in the mission1 would never be noticed by a single member of the ,indian congregation4 ,i once spent a night in the village of a devout and widely-known and highly-respected ,indian priest1 now gone to his rest4 ,evensong was held in the open air in front of his house1 because of certain insect intruders which had taken possession of the room which1 at that time1 did duty as a church4 ,since those days a permanent church has been built4 ,goats and cattle coming home1 and taking short cuts to their quarters1 were a little disconcerting to the preacher1 inexperienced in interruptions of the kind1 but the regular congregation took it as a matter of course4 ,the next morning ,i was to celebrate the ,holy ,eucharist1 which1 of course1 had to be in the church1 in spite of the intruders4 ,i went at the appointed hour and found the ,indian priest just beginning to make preparations4 ,vestments and altar linen and many other things were mixed up in a box1 in complete disorder1 and it took him a long time to sort out what was needed1 and when at last all was ready1 the result would have been heart-breaking to an ,english sacristan4 ,service necessarily began long after the proper time1 but that created neither surprise nor annoyance4 ,the fact being that defects of the kind are not felt to be such by an ,indian congregation1 so that they did not in any way diminish the influence for good of this excellent priest4 ,it is often the very stiffness and rigidity of ,english methods which hinders their acceptability amongst ,indian people4 ,on the other hand1 the ,indian priest is more patient in dealing with the people's difficulties4 ,rustics in ,england relate the history of a quarrel1 or sickness1 or death at great length4 ,but their tale is brevity itself compared to the ,indian's story of a grievance1 and he expects to be listened to patiently till he has had his full say4 ,this the ,indian priest readily does1 and he himself is not wearied by the recital4 ,but the ,english priest1 even before the end of the preface1 has probably said that he has no time to listen to all these details1 and that they must settle the matter amongst themselves4 ,the circumstances of the country at its present stage of development1 with a certain number of ,english1 mostly official1 gathered into cantonments1 or scattered here and there in isolated places1 and a limited but steadily increasing number of ,indian ,christians1 who are for the most part not in touch with the ,european element1 make an ,indian bishop for any of the dioceses as at present constituted out of the question4 ,but there are certain country districts covering a wide area in which the number of ,indian ,christians is very great4 ,an ,indian suffragan bishop might well be given jurisdiction over one of these areas4 ,there are certainly some ,indian priests fitted for such a trust4 ,the result would probably be a great growth of spiritual life1 and wholesome church organisation1 and self-support4 ,the tradition of an ,indian bishop for ,indians getting established in this way there would eventually1 if he acquitted himself well in his limited sphere1 be no difficulty about his ministering to ,english congregations when it was convenient that he should do so4 ,but it should be observed that the ,indian bishop must be allowed to retain his own individuality1 and to do his diocesan work in his own ,eastern way4 ,very possibly he will arrive for his ,confirmation long after the appointed time1 even if he does not send a message at the last moment to say that he will come to-morrow4 ,if1 by any misfortune1 there should be a ,european in the expectant congregation1 he will say indignantly that this is what comes of appointing ,indian bishops4 ,but the ,indian congregation will be quite undisturbed4 ,those who happen to have come punctually will sit about in the church compound1 in the sun or shade according to the time of day1 and chat happily till the bishop arrives4 ,his lateness would not create the least shade of annoyance4 ,he himself will probably have to wait in his turn for the candidates from a neighbouring village who were vague about the time4 ,but he will do so with the utmost cheerfulness4 ,except that unpunctuality means waste of time1 it will have no other drawback4 ,when the actual ,confirmation takes place after these possible delays1 it will be carried out by the ,indian bishop with the greatest solemnity4 ,he and the candidates will have the fullest faith in the wondrous ,gift bestowed by means of the imposition of the ,apostolic hands4 ,his address will be powerful and persuasive1 and given with full knowledge of the characteristics of the people of his own country4 ,everyone will return to their homes happy and thankful1 and in telling their tale of the wonders of the day it will not probably occur to anybody to mention that the bishop arrived late4 ,now and then mission stations suffer1 somewhat in the same way as a parish here and there in ,england does1 from the change of policy brought about by a change of head4 ,it is in practical1 rather than in religious matters1 that a new head is sometimes the cause of unrest4 ,missions being at present chiefly worked by societies which have their own theological bias1 the new-comer is generally of the same way of thinking as his predecessor4 ,but anyone coming to ,india for the first time1 in spite of everything being new and strange1 is apt to think that he sees his way clearly1 and that the work has got into a rut and that a general upheaval is necessary4 ,the tendency of the ,indian is to be conservative of established traditions4 ,he does not say much1 but he has his own way of showing the new head that he does not approve of his changes4 ,some resign office1 of others it is decided that they have been too long at their posts1 and the result is that a certain number of old and faithful workers cut themselves1 or are themselves cut adrift4 ,the new head ultimately establishes his position1 and many of his changes are probably improvements1 but this has been accomplished at considerable sacrifice4 ,missions worked by communities are not wholly free from the same defect1 though they suffer less than others4 ,english workers do not always retain the spirit of sympathy and graciousness with which they began their ministry in ,india4 ,the defects of the ,indian character are particularly galling to some ,englishmen4 ,the sort of faults which the average ,englishman is least willing to condone are unpunctuality1 untidiness1 promises not kept1 inexact answers and false excuses1 forgetfulness of favours received but fresh favours asked for1 slovenly work1 laziness1 and obstinacy4 ,when the missionary first meets his flock he sees pleasant and courteous manners1 and readiness to please and to obey1 a certain aptitude and handiness in work1 a real spirit of devotion1 and many such-like qualities4 ,the dark skin1 the picturesque dress or absence of dress1 the bare feet and light graceful walk1 all these things appeal to the new-comer4 ,as time goes on he has to deal with the realities of things4 ,difficulties1 failures1 disappointments have to be faced4 ,a reaction sets in4 ,he thinks that the people need a firmer hand1 that they have been dealt with too lightly4 ,he no longer keeps the good side uppermost1 and begins to see only the defects4 ,he gets the mission possibly into good external order1 but much of the grace and beauty of his ministry goes out in the process1 and there will be no attractive force at work to draw in the heathen4 ,the worker in ,india needs to pray constantly that the spirit of love and sympathy1 and the yearning to help souls with which he began1 may never be allowed to grow less2 that he may retain his spirit of buoyancy2 that he may keep hopeful and expectant2 and that while firm and strong with the people who need his support1 he may only love them the more when he has learnt really to understand and know them4 ,a missionary in ,india of long and wide experience wrote that he had often pondered as to the reason why the ,church in that land has never become a real indigenous plant4 ,he went on to say--,even if we were to put aside the tradition of ,st ,thomas having preached here1 we know that1 at any rate from the eighth century onwards1 with only a few intermissions1 there has been ,christian effort at work in the country4 ,the conclusion that he came to was that there has been too much of the individual and too little of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,st ,francis ,xavier baptized thousands of children1 and then went his way4 ,the ,church has always depended on foreign aid1 and when left to itself has either died away or kept itself alive by maintaining a sort of ,christian caste4 ,the ,eastern people are1 to a certain extent1 pliant and easily led4 ,the somewhat masterful foreign missionary had bent the people to his will and his ways4 ,the house has been built square and solid1 and finished in appearance4 ,but it is a building1 not a plant4 ,it has not within it the power of life and growth4 ,there has been more building than sowing4 ,it depends on the force of the individual1 and but little room is left for the power of the ,holy ,spirit to make it really fruitful4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,indian ,,music ,women singing as they grind4 ,singing to the bullocks4 ,singing on the road4 ,the rest-house4 ,soldiers singing4 ,palanquin bearers4 ,indian taste in music4 ,indian musical instruments4 ,the native band4 ,the ,europe band4 ,sir ,g4 ,clarke on ,indian music4 ,evil associations of native tunes4 ,indian choir-boys4 ,one of the commonest sounds in ,india is that of women grinding at the mill4 ,you not only hear the grating of the revolving stone1 but since it is a hard and monotonous task1 the toilers almost invariably enliven it by singing4 ,they do so rather melodiously1 and it sounds pleasant in the distance4 ,their songs are to a large extent made up on the spur of the moment1 and form a sort of running comment on what they are doing1 or on what is going on around them4 ,this custom of singing in order to relieve the monotony of labour is universal in certain departments1 and even the beasts get to look upon it as a stimulus to work4 ,when drawing water from the wells1 the man in charge of the operation invariably encourages the bullocks with a cheery sing-song1 at the critical moment when they are raising the heavy leather pouch of water from the well1 and if he was to remain silent1 the ,indian bullock1 who is a strong conservative1 would certainly refuse to start4 ,when they travel round and round1 working the mill which squeezes the juice out of the sugar cane1 or1 in the same fashion1 causing the great stone wheel to revolve which grinds the mortar1 their master alternately whips them and sings to them4 ,i once listened to the song which the man sung when they were making mortar4 ,it was something like this--,oh bullocks6 what a work you are doing4 ,going round and round making mortar for the masons4 ,oh bullocks6 go faster1 go faster6 ,the masons will cry out1 oh bullocks1 for more mortar--more mortar4 ,so1 go faster1 go faster1 etc41 etc4 ,on bright moonlight nights large parties of men and women come trotting briskly along the ,yerandawana road1 bearing baskets of fruit on their heads for the ,poona market4 ,indians nearly always go at a trot if they have an unusually heavy burden to carry far1 and it appears to make their task easier4 ,i do not know whether other nations have the same custom4 ,there are many reasons why travelling by night is preferable4 ,the air is cool and pleasant1 there is no scorching sun to injure the fruit1 and it gets into market in good time before the rush of business commences4 ,a charitable ,hindu has built a rest-house for the benefit of travellers1 just opposite the gateway of the village mission4 ,such rest-houses are to be found all over ,india4 ,they are only what we in ,england would call a shed1 but they provide as much shelter as the climate demands1 and they are a great boon to the many who travel the roads on business or pleasure4 ,the ,yerandawana rest-house is often thronged with people1 because it is so near ,poona that they can get some hours sleep1 and yet get into market early4 ,but the travellers1 who go swiftly along the road with their burden of fruit1 often sing delightfully in chorus for the greater part of the way1 so that what is really a task of great toil seems almost transformed into a cheerful excursion4 ,indian soldiers on the march are sometimes allowed to sing as they go1 or occasionally to whistle1 which has a delightful effect4 ,some years back1 when visitors could only reach certain hill-stations by being carried in a palanquin1 unless they were sturdy climbers1 because the steep paths were not practicable for wheels1 the team of six or eight coolies who acted as bearers1 turn and turn about1 sung a good deal1 especially in the more difficult parts of the journey4 ,they did not realise that the ,sahib they were carrying sometimes understood the vernacular1 and was able to appreciate their poetical comments on his weight1 or their musical speculations as to what sort of tip he was likely to give them at the end of the journey4 ,people sometimes ask whether ,indians are musical4 ,it is difficult to say4 ,indian taste in music is certainly peculiar1 and perhaps deserves greater study than it has yet secured4 ,but it would lead the casual listener to suppose that music amongst them is still in the elementary stage1 corresponding somewhat to the scales and time exercises of the beginner4 ,at the ,inamdar's afternoon party1 the musical performance given by the two ,mohammedans 7p4 #hj7 was probably a fair sample of what would be considered refined music4 ,one of the performers had a kind of guitar with a large body1 made out of a gourd with a section sliced off and then faced with wood1 and with a very long stem4 ,the whole instrument1 with all its fittings1 was exquisitely made4 ,the other man had a large and peculiar instrument1 called a bin1 in which the long keyboard is supported at each end with a big gourd4 ,there dried gourds are largely in request for musical purposes4 ,the bin was also artistically finished1 and adorned with brasswork and inlaid woods4 ,it had five or six strings4 ,the performer played on it with his fingers after the manner of a guitar1 one of the gourds resting on his shoulder4 ,these instruments being so attractive in appearance1 and apparently large and powerful1 and the two ,mohammedans setting to work with great solemnity1 and a commendable hush coming over the assembled company1 ,i expected a musical treat4 ,the performers began by tuning up with great care2 but the tuning continued so long that ,i began to wonder how soon the real music would begin4 ,just then the musicians ceased1 and ,i found that the apparent tuning was the actual performance and that it was all over4 ,the audience appeared to be pleased with what they heard4 ,for the more popular kind of music you must go to the native band1 which is the universal adjunct to every sort of entertainment1 great or small4 ,the members of the band are unwearied in their exertions on small drums and shrill pipes4 ,the tune1 which never seems to vary whatever the occasion1 consists of almost as few notes as the song of an ,indian bird1 and it is played over and over again and no one grows weary of it4 ,even the performers play it for the thousandth time with almost as much enthusiasm as when they first began4 ,when they have played far into the night1 and fall asleep from sheer exhaustion1 they wake up in the morning to begin again4 ,though native instruments and the method of playing them does not usually appeal to the ,english ear1 except for condemnation1 it must also be said that ,indians in general assert that they do not recognise any particular beauty in ,english melodies2 and the wealth of sound of a full band1 performing the composition of some great master1 only suggests to the ,eastern mind a confused medley of meaningless noise4 ,at the weddings of wealthy men who wish to make a special display1 there sometimes appears what they call a ,europe band1 which consists of ,indian performers1 dressed in cast-off uniforms and with ,western instruments1 on which they play what are meant to be ,english popular airs4 ,but there is usually the old-fashioned band also in attendance1 and there is no question as to which band the guests really cared to listen4 ,the truth appears to lie in the fact that the two nations are looking for different effects in music4 ,europeans value the melody1 and the harmony which enriches it4 ,easterns care little for the melody1 dislike the harmony1 but think everything of the time4 ,it is the unvaried repetition of the same meagre tune1 repeated over and over again with apparently wearisome monotony1 which is the attractive feature4 ,and the amount of pleasure to be found in listening to any musical exercise is proportionate to the skill of the performer in beating out his even measure on drum1 or pipe1 with unwearied pertinacity4 ,sir ,george ,clarke1 ,governor of ,bombay1 at a meeting of an ,indian ,choral ,society in ,poona1 in ,august #aiaa1 in sketching the diverse developments of ,eastern and ,western music1 suggested that the tones of the instruments in vogue had affected the art of singing1 and that the falsetto style1 common amongst ,indians1 is in imitation of the shrillness of their reed instruments1 while the fuller voice1 cultivated in ,europe1 follows the development of the ampler harmonies of ,western instruments4 ,each style of music represents a cultivation of certain qualities with a neglect of others4 ,the ultimate result of intelligent study should be the combination of the great qualities of both into a richer music than either ,east or ,west has known hitherto4 ,sir ,george ,clarke went on to say that1 before ,indian music could develop or become widely known1 it must be reduced to some intelligible method of writing4 ,progress in this direction seems rather slow at present1 and ,indian music is really in the position of an illiterate struggling against a highly educated competitor4 ,some attempt has been made to adapt ,indian tunes to the translations of ,english hymns1 but without signal success4 ,also1 ,indian ,christian converts do not encourage the attempt4 ,they say that the few popular native tunes are so suggestive of the indecent songs to which they are generally sung1 that it is impossible to use them safely4 ,english popular melodies which some people1 especially dissenters1 have adapted for religious use have no associations of this kind4 ,the only doubtful point in their adaptation is the risk of introducing an element of comedy4 ,christian ,indians get to like the tunes usually associated with the ,english hymns which have been translated into their vernacular1 and they sing them with spirit4 ,indian choir-boys often give sufficient promise to indicate that1 if they could be given the skilled training which is generally lacking1 they would not fall behind their ,english brothers in sweetness of voice and delicacy of expression4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,indian ,,meals ,stones for grinding grain4 ,exclusively women's work4 ,elaborate inspection of the grain4 ,food a matter of much interest4 ,the meals of a ,hindu4 ,difference between ,indian and ,english custom4 ,even beggars fastidious4 ,refinement of native dishes4 ,what the daily bread is like4 ,hindu caution after the bath4 ,in the last chapter we spoke of the women singing when they are grinding at the mill4 ,the grinding-stones of their handmills are of various sizes4 ,the smaller ones are rather more than a foot in diameter1 and can be worked by one person4 ,the lower millstone is let into the ground4 ,the upper one has an upright wooden handle stuck into it near the edge4 ,the grinder sits on the ground close to the stones1 and grasping the handle causes the upper stone to revolve vigorously4 ,the larger stones have two handles1 and then two women work together4 ,they often go on grinding for some hours1 generally beginning in the early morning while it is still cool4 ,by preference they only grind what is required for the day's use1 because the freshly-ground flour is thought to make the best bread4 ,but in the case of schools1 or the large composite families of prosperous ,hindus1 a large quantity of flour is needed daily4 ,the custom of grinding the grain at home is almost universal1 because of the adulteration of flour sold ready ground4 ,there are numbers of working women whose sole occupation is that of grinding at various people's houses1 and though it is hard work1 they earn in return what is to them a pretty good living4 ,it is curious that men apparently never lend a hand in this department1 even if the wife is poor and sickly1 and sorely in need of help4 ,it appears to be regarded as such an absolutely feminine employment1 that a man would be disgraced if he put his hand to the mill at all4 ,even ,christians have not quite succeeded in shaking off this idea4 ,careful housewives go over all the grain minutely before it is ground1 so as to make quite sure that no bit of husk1 or defective grain1 finds its way into the mill4 ,this is a long and troublesome process4 ,watching a ,christian woman engaged in this occupation1 ,i said something to her husband with reference to its being rather a toil4 ,i always have the grain prepared in this way1 he said cheerfully4 ,do you never help your wife8 ,i asked4 ,no1 he smilingly answered1 but our little girl does4 ,ever since the earth began to be inhabited by man and woman1 food has been a delicate subject to deal with1 and probably the larger number of domestic quarrels find their origin in this department of the household4 ,in ,india1 certainly1 food is a subject of prominent importance in the minds of the people of the country4 ,well-to-do ,hindus find their chief interest and pleasure in the two big meals of the day4 ,very few practise any real asceticism concerning food4 ,an orthodox ,hindu does not break his fast until he has taken his bath and worshipped his household gods1 so that he is habitually fasting till nearly noon4 ,but those who have been always accustomed to this say that it causes them no inconvenience4 ,it must also be remembered that their evening meal is nearly always very late4 ,if guests are expected1 and the preparations more elaborate than usual in consequence1 the meal may be delayed till ten o'clock or later4 ,but at these two principal meals the ,indian1 if he can afford it1 eats a large quantity4 ,it is not merely that his appetite should be satisfied1 but if the meal is to be regarded as a satisfactory one there must be the physical sensation of repletion1 and the diner does not need to eat again for several hours4 ,nevertheless he nibbles odds and ends of spices and fruits and sweets a good deal in the course of the day4 ,the custom of early tea1 with some accompaniment1 has become general with ,indians who have got a little familiar with ,english ways4 ,easterns are astonished at the frequency of ,english meals1 under the idea apparently that we eat to repletion three or four times a day1 instead of only twice as they do4 ,the breakfast bell rang when two or three young ,indian students were talking in the verandah1 and they asked if they might come and see our table spread for the meal4 ,we gladly assented1 and explained the use and nature of the things set upon it4 ,fortunately it was not a beef day1 and they seemed relieved to find that there was nothing terrible on view4 ,but they expressed great surprise at what appeared to them the small amount of food provided1 and we were able to point out the difference between ,english and ,indian customs in this respect1 and that though our number of meals daily is greater1 we eat less than they do on each occasion4 ,a very large number of ,indians1 both ,christian and heathen1 live on poor fare and go to bed hungry4 ,this is from necessity1 not from choice4 ,the poorest man is particular in his degree as to what he eats1 more especially as to the manner in which his food has been prepared4 ,even the beggar off the road will unblushingly and loudly grumble if the fare at a feast to which he has been invited by some wealthy man is not exactly to his mind4 ,the children of mission schools1 many of whom have come out of lives of real privation1 are sometimes very critical about their meals1 and more especially as to how it has been cooked1 and they will leave a good supper uneaten and go hungry to bed because of some trifling defect in the manner of its preparation4 ,most ,indian women have been taught how to cook from early childhood1 and many of them are experts and take much pleasure in their art4 ,some of the native dishes take a great deal of care and toil to prepare1 and except that their tendency is to be rather too pungent for the ,english palate1 a really first-class ,indian dinner is refined in appearance2 and in the variety of dishes1 provided there are always certain things which can be eaten with pleasure4 ,the varied objects which make up the meal are neatly grouped before each guest1 and they are meant to be taken in a certain order1 so that the palate will be constantly renovated for the next dish which it is to taste4 ,even the ordinary daily bread1 in the form in which ,indians like to eat it1 gives a great deal of trouble to those who have to get it ready4 ,not only is there the grinding of the flour to be done1 but it has next to be made up into thin flat cakes which look something like pancakes1 which are then lightly baked on a hot plate1 and are eaten at once by preference while hot4 ,the preparation and baking of these means that the women of the household have been busy in the kitchen from an early hour1 especially in ,christian schools1 where the children's day begins earlier than in most ,hindu households4 ,hindu schools and colleges commence work very late in the day1 because of the necessity of getting the bathing and feeding over first4 ,even the most orthodox ,hindus have now no scruples about touching ,christians1 except after they have taken their bath1 but previous to their meal4 ,having occasion to consult a ,brahmin pleader rather frequently concerning the purchase of some land1 he always made a point of shaking hands rather effusively1 with an eye to business4 ,but ,i called one morning when he had just emerged from his bath1 and he was then careful to keep at a safe distance1 because contact would have involved the necessity of bathing again before he took his food1 in order to get rid of the ceremonial pollution4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,hindu ,,philosophy ,the barrenness of ,hinduism4 ,the ,golden ,threshold2 its authoress--her poetry2 the four kinds of religion2 her motherly instincts2 her letters2 her father2 her search for beauty2 her portrait4 ,rarity of happy ,hindu faces4 ,the picture of ,jerome4 ,people sometimes say1 when asking about ,hinduism1 ,surely if the idolatry1 and folly1 and indecency1 which we know exists in the religion as it now is could be cleared away1 we should find remaining some deep philosophic thoughts and mystical poetical fancies which we might admire8 ,the reply to this question is that1 if ,hinduism was subjected to this purging process1 what would be left would be practically nothing at all4 ,this can be strikingly illustrated in the following way4 ,an ,indian lady1 ,mrs ,sarojini ,naidu1 has published a little volume of poems called ,the ,golden ,threshold4 ,there is an introduction to the book by ,mr ,arthur ,symons1 giving a few particulars of the life of the authoress4 ,she is apparently a thoroughgoing ,hindu1 although one of sufficient independence of character to marry another ,hindu who was not a ,brahmin like herself1 and on that account meeting with obloquy from her own people4 ,she is evidently a highly cultivated lady1 knowing ,english perfectly4 ,but though she has lived in ,england1 and travelled much1 there is nothing to indicate that she has been touched in any way by ,christianity4 ,she has had1 therefore1 only ,hinduism from which to get poetic thoughts connected with religion4 ,she is evidently a true poet1 and if there had been anything in the religion capable of suggesting poetic ideas she would have certainly found it4 ,she has undoubtedly a mind of great refinement1 so that all that is otherwise in connection with ,hinduism has to be eliminated from the field in which she could gather poetic thought4 ,what1 then1 is the result8 ,while there is a distinct charm in the rhythm of her verses1 their utter emptiness makes them of no real value4 ,the only poem1 curiously enough1 in which a deeper note is struck is when she describes the four kinds of religion which flourish under the kindly rule of ,h4,h4 the ,nizam of ,hyderabad3 the ,mohammedan1 the ,hindu1 the ,parsee1 and the ,christian4 ,the verse is as follows3-- ,the votaries of the ,prophet's faith1 ,of whom you are the crown and chief2 ,and they who bear on ,vedic brows ,their mystic symbols of belief2 ,and they who worshipping the sun1 ,fled o'er the old ,iranian sea2 ,and they who bow to ,him who trod ,the midnight waves of ,galilee4 ,each religion is happily touched with a delicate hand4 ,to get a suitable idea concerning each into a couple of lines of real poetry shows a gifted mind1 and the two last lines are specially happy4 7,the capital letter in the pronoun is so printed in the book47 ,her mind coming thus into brief contact with higher and truer things1 she rises in the concluding verse to a kind of benediction on this beneficent ,mohammedan ruler1 which almost approaches the nature of a prayer3-- ,god give you joy1 ,god give you grace1 ,to shield the truth and smite the wrong1 ,to honour ,virtue1 ,valour1 ,worth1 ,to cherish faith and foster song4 ,your name within a nation's prayer1 ,your music on a nation's tongue4 ,the only other poem which rises above the mere commonplace is that in which ,queen ,gulnaar expresses the unsatisfied condition of her heart because she has no rival to her beauty1 and with none to envy1 life has no savour4 ,although seven beautiful brides are sent for and brought before her1 she remains without a rival4 ,finally1 with delight1 she finds what she sought for in her own little two-year-old daughter4 ,but it was not her religion which supplied the poetess with this pretty fancy4 ,it arose out of her own motherly instincts1 which amongst ,easterns are charmingly dominant4 ,there are in the ,introduction some extracts from ,mrs ,naidu's letters which show that if there was anyone who might have been expected to discover anything beautiful in ,hinduism1 or suggestive of true philosophy1 or capable of being idealised in any way1 she was the person who would have done so4 ,she says herself3 ,my ancestors for thousands of years have been lovers of the forest and mountain caves1 great dreamers1 great scholars1 great ascetics4 ,my father is a dreamer himself1 a great dreamer4444 ,i suppose in the whole of ,india there are few men whose learning is greater than his4444 ,he holds huge courts every day in his garden1 of the learned men of all religions4 ,rajahs and beggars and saints1 and downright villains all delightfully mixed up4 ,and then his alchemy6444 ,but this alchemy is only the material counterpart of a poet's craving for beauty1 the eternal beauty4444 ,what in my father is the genius of curiosity1 is in me the desire for beauty4 ,she is described as being the embodiment of the wisdom of the ,east1 her intellectual development such as to make her a wise counsellor1 combined with passionate tranquillity of mind4 ,yet with this long ancestry of dreamers1 and her own intellectual capacity1 and her poetic craving to find beauty1 which even ,nature did not satisfy 7because what is ,nature without ,nature's ,god871 she obviously finds ,hinduism completely barren of what she was yearning for1 and apparently not having searched for it anywhere else except in ,nature1 she never comes at it at all4 ,she appears to have been struck by something in the faces of the monks that she saw in ,italy1 and she at one moment longs to attain to their peace by renunciation4 ,but as the secret of their peace was not known to her1 it only makes her long for ,nirvana1 or final nothingness4 ,her portrait at the beginning of the book represents a touching type of face which one meets with not unfrequently in ,india4 ,the expression is dull and lifeless4 ,there is none of the light which shines out of the face of a ,christian ,indian4 ,but there is at the same time an expression of wistful longing for that hidden treasure which ,hinduism could not give her1 even when purged of its defilements4 ,the result of which is1 that her poetic mind has had to waste itself upon such themes as nightfall at ,hyderabad1 or the alabaster box in which she treasures her spices1 or the bride weeping because her lord is dead4 ,it is no exaggeration to say that a really happy-looking ,hindu is a rare sight1 even when on pleasure bent4 ,childhood in the ,hindu world has its flashes of fun1 but except in the passing excitement of some romping game1 the faces of the children are usually as dull as those of their elders4 ,two ,hindu boys were looking at the picture in the story-book of ,jerome1 the ,brahmin boy1 in which the photographs taken on his first arrival is reproduced1 showing his ,hindu pigtail1 and the paint marks on his forehead1 and his sacred thread4 ,contrasted with this is the photograph taken soon after his baptism4 ,i do not suppose that the boys understood the full significance of the pictures1 and this made the comment of one of them the more valuable4 ,there is a great difference1 he said1 between these two pictures4 ,in the first the boy has a very bad face4 ,but in the other picture it is very good4 ,an ,english boy1 writing in a letter on the subject of the same picture1 says of ,jerome as a ,christian1 ,he looks twice as happy as when he was a heathen4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,hindus ,,and ,,religion ,irreverence in ,hindu temples4 ,robbing the god4 ,burial of gods4 ,justice in native states4 ,giving the title of god to people4 ,the god's relations4 ,hindu conception of god2 of prayer4 ,nominal ,hindus4 ,the old army pensioner4 ,the thread ceremony4 ,whatever the ,hindu conception of a god may be1 their behaviour in their temples shows that it is something entirely different to the ideas which a ,christian associates with the name of ,god4 ,the greatest irreverence1 from our point of view of what irreverence means1 is continually going on in a ,hindu temple in the presence of the idol1 to which homage is done as to a god1 and which is the object of a good deal of ceremonial attention from the person whose business it is to pay it4 ,talking loudly1 and laughing and joking1 children romping about2 all this is evidently not felt to be out of place in the temple1 because it goes on habitually1 and apparently unrebuked4 ,card-playing is constantly carried on in those larger temples in which there is a space in front of the idol1 and evidently nobody objects4 ,indians are great card-players1 and they play with a persistency and absorbed interest such as the most inveterate bridge-player could scarcely emulate4 ,they often play for the greater part of the day and half the night1 and generally for stakes of some sort1 however small4 ,nor does even robbing the god involve the idea that the god has power to take revenge1 because some of the village boys have told me1 as a huge joke1 of their exploits in robbing their idol of the offerings made to it4 ,people bring small gifts of money1 or fruit1 or sweetmeats1 and deposit them near the idol4 ,these are the recognised perquisites of the custodian of the temple4 ,but in the case of a village temple this official is often also engaged in secular business1 so that the boys watch their opportunity and1 in his absence1 appropriate the offering before he returns4 ,apparently burial in a river is a seemly way of disposing of a god4 ,a man was anxious to sell us a plot of land in a certain village1 but there was on it a very primitive temple1 fenced in with a few sticks and stones4 ,within this enclosure were several shapeless stone gods1 painted with vermilion4 ,we said that if we bought the site the temple would have to be removed first4 ,the man replied that there would be no difficulty about that1 because the gods could be buried in the river4 ,the god is then supposed to leave the stone and pass out into the sacred stream4 ,the mud figures of the god ,gunpatti1 which people annually enshrine in their houses for ten days1 are then taken in procession to the river and placed in the water1 where1 of course1 they quickly dissolve4 ,that even the word ,god has for ,hindus an entirely different significance to that which it has for us1 indicates how hopelessly misleading our theological expressions may be in the mouths of ,english-speaking ,hindus4 ,a small party of ,hindus called at the ,mission bungalow to make a request on behalf of a friend who lived in one of the native states4 ,they affirmed that it was an impossibility to get justice in a law-court in one of these states1 except through the intervention of the ,british ,resident4 ,they therefore asked me for a letter of introduction to this official1 with a request that justice might be done them4 ,the fact that ,i did not know the ,resident1 or the applicant1 or any of the facts of the case did not appear to them to be an obstacle to my granting them their petition4 ,so hoping to attain their end by ingratiating themselves with me1 they began by adopting the methods which presumably are found to be efficacious amongst ,easterns4 ,after profound salaams on all sides1 they refused to sit on the chairs which ,i offered them1 but chose humbler seats instead as a tribute to my own greatness4 ,flattery was the next process1 and after descanting on my accomplishments the chief spokesman finished up by saying1 ,in fact ,i may say you are god4 ,when ,i pointed out the monstrosity of ,hindu teaching which could possibly allow the word to be applied to any human being1 the ,hindu explained that anyone whom you hold in estimation may be called god4 ,looking at the large framed photograph of the ,indian editor1 ,mr ,tilak1 who was deported out of the country for several years on account of the seditious nature of his newspaper1 the owner of the photograph said to me1 ,he is a very good man2 in fact he is our god4 ,a young student sat talking till dusk began to fall4 ,the interval between light and darkness is brief in tropical ,india4 ,the student got up and said he must hasten home4 ,i asked him if he was afraid of the dark4 ,he said1 ,no1 my god takes care of me4 ,i asked him which of his many gods would do this4 ,he said1 ,very likely ,mahadeva4 ,i asked him where all the millions of gods lived4 ,he said1 ,in heaven4 ,i asked if they all got on happily together4 ,he said1 ,of course4 ,but then he added1 ,there is only one real god2 the others may1 as it were1 be regarded as his relations--which was a novel explanation of ,hindu mythology4 ,though the ordinary ,hindu conception of the characteristics of a god does not include holiness1 the sort of characteristic which may be looked for can be illustrated by a question which an intelligent ,hindu lad asked me when ,i was showing him the church4 ,and what battles did your ,christ fight8 said the boy4 ,his visit to the church was apparently his first contact with ,christianity1 and he listened with respectful attention as ,i told him of the ,son of ,god coming as the ,prince of ,peace4 ,asking an intelligent ,brahmin convert what is the ,hindu conception of prayer1 he replied that with them its object is entirely a selfish one4 ,a ,hindu prays for his own worldly prosperity--that his crops may be good1 that his business may succeed1 that his children may marry well and become rich4 ,asking the same informant whether ,hindus pray for others1 he laughed and said1 ,no1 never2 except for the members of their own family4 ,the number of ,hindus who are only nominal adherents is probably much greater than is generally supposed1 because many of them still retain the outward marks of a religion in which they have ceased to believe4 ,most of these have not become atheists1 but they are feeling after a true ,god1 and those who are in earnest in their search come as near to ,him as their imperfect knowledge allows4 ,an old ,brahmin came into the verandah of the ,mission bungalow1 and sitting down1 said very seriously1 ,now tell me about your ,christ4 ,he was an army pensioner with two medals4 ,he was seventy-five years of age1 which is considered very old for an ,indian4 ,his only knowledge of ,christianity had been gathered up in a vague way from the few ,christians he had rubbed up against in the course of military wanderings1 including a few missionaries4 ,yet even the amount of contact had been a help to him4 ,hindus sometimes are drawn towards ,christianity by contact with even rather nominal ,christians4 ,i asked the old ,brahmin if he ever went to the village temple4 ,there is no temple1 he replied rather fiercely4 ,on my assurance that he was mistaken1 he said3 ,then if there is one1 ,i have never seen it4 ,i go to no temple4 ,i pray to ,god in heaven4 ,the one ,god1 he added with emphasis4 ,yet he had the usual red paint marks neatly inscribed on his forehead1 and his ,brahmin's thread1 like a long skein of cotton1 was worn sash-like next his skin1 but just peeping out a little at the neck for the people to see4 ,anyone meeting him would have taken him for a most uncompromising and orthodox ,hindu4#a ,footnote #a3 ,his portrait is to be found opposite p4 #bc1 in ,thirty-,four ,years in ,poona ,city4 ,after ,i had explained to another ,brahmin the meaning of baptism1 and that no one is a ,christian until he is baptized1 the ,brahmin said3 ,baptism seems very similar to our thread ceremony4 ,till a boy has received his thread he is not permitted to read the sacred scriptures or to take part in religious functions4 ,he may be the son of ,hindu parents1 but he does not become a real ,hindu until he has been invested with the thread4 ,i asked what then was the condition of those castes who are not entitled to wear the thread4 ,he said that there was no ceremony of initiation for them1 and so that they remained outside4 ,i replied that1 if this was so1 it was very hard that the large majority of ,indians should be left out in the cold4 ,he agreed1 and said that this undoubtedly was one of the weak points in their religion4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,religious ,,phases ,,in ,,india ,hindus and ,roman ,catholicism4 ,parsees and ,christianity4 ,their works of charity4 ,persian visitors4 ,religious controversy4 ,mr ,hole's pictures4 ,hindu family quarrels4 ,indian repartee4 ,appreciation of the dignity of labour4 ,english-speaking ,hindus1 who are often eager to talk about religious matters1 are inclined to take up the cudgels in favour of ,protestantism1 as compared with ,roman ,catholicism4 ,but meeting an intelligent ,brahmin in a train in the ,mysore ,state1 he did just the reverse1 showing an unusual knowledge of ecclesiastical affairs4 ,do you know how the ,pope is elected8 he asked of an old engine-driver who happened to be a fellow-traveller1 who seemed rather embarrassed by such an unlooked-for question from such a source4 ,it is the most extraordinary thing on earth1 the ,brahmin went on to say1 and he proceeded to describe pretty accurately the process of election4 ,now if the ,pope was to come to ,st ,paul's ,cathedral1 would your ,archbishop of ,canterbury receive him with due respect as the greatest dignitary on earth8 asked the ,brahmin4 ,i said that the circumstances were not very likely to occur1 but that if they did1 ,i had no doubt the ,pope would be received with the respect due to his office4 ,and if your ,archbishop went to ,italy1 would he stay with the ,pope8 said the ,brahmin4 ,i replied that ,i did not think it likely that he would get an invitation1 but that if he did1 he would probably accept it4 ,the ,brahmin at times made use of semi-profane expressions when talking ,english4 ,good ,lord6 what a crowd1 he said1 putting his head into the window of a carriage when we were changing at a junction4 ,but in spite of his knowledge of ecclesiastical affairs1 he called on the ,hindu god ,rama when settling down for the night4 ,meeting a ,parsee1 who having been educated at a ,roman ,catholic school knew something of ,christianity1 ,i asked him how it was that this knowledge had borne no practical fruit4 ,his reply was that when in ,christian colleges attendance at a religious class is compulsory1 it makes the heathen boys hate ,christianity4 ,very few ,parsees have become ,christians4 ,i asked another ,parsee the cause of this4 ,he said that their religion was so pure that they did not need to seek a better1 and that they only looked upon light as a symbol of ,god4 ,but when the electric light was turned on in the railway carriage where we were sitting1 another old ,parsee1 looking up at it1 put his hands together and touched his forehead1 after the manner of a ,hindu saluting an idol4 ,the real secret of their want of interest in ,christianity probably lies in the fact that they are the successful business people of ,india1 and their minds being much engrossed in worldly affairs there is little room left for religious thought4 ,some of the richest people in ,india are to be found amongst them4 ,you seldom see a poor-looking ,parsee1 partly perhaps because they have the reputation of being very charitable towards their own people1 and so they will not suffer one of their number to feel the pinch of real poverty4 ,they are also lavish in their gifts for public purposes1 although their act would have more grace if the name of the donor was less prominent4 ,one day two ,persian ladies came to see the village church1 with an ,english lady as their companion4 ,the latter said that one of the ,persians was a big personage1 and did not wish her name to be known4 ,they had noticed the boys playing about as they were passing by1 and1 attracted by their faces1 came in4 ,on entering the church1 the chief ,persian lady seeing the embroidered picture of the ,crucifixion1 genuflected1 and sending a little boy of hers to put some money on the altar1 she told him to kiss it and return4 ,on leaving1 she asked that two candles should be burnt for her on the altar the next ,sunday4 ,the effect that the church has upon visitors has been described already1 and how the din of controversy dies down within its walls4 ,in discussing theology with people of an entirely different religion to one's own1 it is almost inevitable that the conversation should gradually become controversial2 and when it reaches that stage1 all power for good in the intercourse is at an end4 ,the proximity of the church can then be turned to good account4 ,would you like to see the church8 is a question which nearly always draws out a ready assent1 and the pending risk is averted4 ,many of ,mr ,hole's beautiful pictures illustrating the ,life of our ,lord are framed and hanging round the walls of the church1 something after the fashion of the ,stations of the ,cross4 ,in a church which ,hindus often frequent the ,stations are not suitable1 not merely because they only represent the suffering side of our ,lord's life1 but because they leave ,him dead and buried4 ,a selection from ,mr ,hole's pictures1 from the ,annunciation to the ,ascension1 enables us to take a ,hindu round the church and tell him our ,lord's life delightfully in picture story4 ,the best testimonial to the fidelity and correctness of detail in these pictures is that they commend themselves entirely to the ,eastern mind4 ,even quite young ,indian boys will turn away from large and gay cartoons supposed to illustrate correctly some ,scripture subject1 and will eagerly study its smaller and more sober counterpart1 often pointing out with much discrimination wherein the large cartoon errs1 and the particular points in which the smaller painting excels4 ,a young ,hindu1 who began by being very controversial1 after visiting the church and expressing extreme pleasure at what he saw there1 finished up by saying as he went away3 ,you ,christians believe in your religion4 ,we ,hindus don't believe in ours1 and so we are all divided up4 ,i asked one of our visitors what work he was doing4 ,he said that as he had not been able to qualify for ,government service1 he was not doing any work4 ,it transpired that he possessed some land1 and ,i asked why he did not occupy himself usefully by cultivating it4 ,he replied that he had quarrelled with all his relations1 and so there was no one to help him in its cultivation4 ,as he was married1 ,i said that in the north of ,england a farmer and his wife were quite capable of cultivating a small plot like his1 without relations at their elbow4 ,he said that in ,india this would be impossible4 ,as it appeared that he had not been on good terms with his relations for some years1 ,i said that ,hindus were habitually quarrelling and refusing to forgive1 but that a true religion would teach the sin of remaining for long periods at enmity with others4 ,he answered that this was one of the weak spots in their religion2 that ,india needed reform in its methods of trade and other matters2 that when it had been reformed its religion would improve4 ,i replied that that was beginning at the wrong end1 and that before an effectual reform of morals could take place there must be the foundation of a true religion4 ,then is ,hinduism not the true religion8 he asked4 ,on my replying in the negative1 he said3 ,if ,i had time ,i would prove to you that it is1 only unfortunately my brother will be home presently and ,i must go to meet him4 ,and he went away4 ,indians1 nowadays1 are rather inclined to back out when it comes to solid argument1 but they are often clever in rapid repartee and in scoring a point quickly4 ,a ,hindu boy having been rude and troublesome1 ,i said that he must not come again for pictures for three months1 and that if he came ,i should not give him any4 ,not if ,i come on the ,king's ,coronation ,day8 7which was close at hand7 he asked promptly4 ,and ,i was obliged to smile and say that if he came on that day it would be all right4 ,indians are beginning to understand something of what is meant by the dignity of labour1 although they are slow in making personal application of the lesson4 ,i was pointing out to a middle-aged visitor the ,boys' ,home in the distance1 on the other side of the compound4 ,looking across1 he caught sight of one of the ,sisters carrying a pail of water for the garden4 ,why1 the ,sister is working6 he said with eager astonishment and approval4 ,that is what we need to learn to do in ,india1 instead of sitting about talking or sleeping4 ,,chapter ,,xix ,,games ,,in ,,india ,cricket and football4 ,use of ,english cricket terms4 ,each game has its season4 ,marbles4 ,the ,indian method4 ,spinning-tops4 ,splitting your opponent's top4 ,kite-flying4 ,battles in the air4 ,final result4 ,itte-dhandu2 how played4 ,the ,indian ,tom ,tiddler's ground4 ,indian children are fond of games1 and many ,indians1 until quite advanced in life1 continue to play games of a nature which are usually associated with childhood4 ,cricket has become widely popular in all the larger schools and colleges1 and football also1 but to a less degree4 ,christian boys of all ages play these two games everywhere with great zest1 and the ,hindu boys in their neighbourhood1 stimulated by the sight1 follow their example to some extent4 ,but they are hindered by the scarcity of the necessary apparatus1 which costs more than most ,indian boys can possibly afford4 ,if schools and colleges in ,england would systematically send their cast-off gear for games1 carriage paid1 to foreign missions they would do a good work in helping to keep young lives in wholesome and happy occupation4 ,even an old tennis ball is received as a real treasure by an ,indian boy1 and any number of balls would be gratefully welcomed by every mission4 ,in playing cricket it is almost a matter of necessity that the ,english expressions connected with the game should be used1 even by those who know no other ,english4 ,out in a village1 where ,english is never spoken1 it sounds curious suddenly to hear from the cricket field1 ,how's that8 pronounced sharply and clearly2 and then the prompt and equally incisive reply1 ,not out4 ,wonderful to say1 the decisions of the umpires are accepted with tolerable readiness1 except when they are flagrantly contrary to fact1 as they sometimes are4 ,a few of the politically disaffected students have tried to boycott the game as a foreign importation1 but they have not met with much success4 ,there is a proper season for all the purely ,indian games1 and to play any of them out of season is almost as great an enormity as to shoot a partridge in ,england before the #ast of ,september4 ,if you ask an ,indian boy if he has been playing a certain game1 and if it happens not to be in season1 he will look at you with an air of pained surprise1 and briefly saying ,no1 he will change the subject4 ,indians of almost any age play marbles1 and there are many divers ways of doing this1 the rules of which are clearly established by an unwritten tradition and are strictly adhered to4 ,if a disputed point arises when a company of boys are playing1 an appeal to a senior bystander is always conclusive4 ,games between experts are watched with interest by quite a number of lookers-on1 of every age4 ,the ,indian method of shooting a marble is to use the middle finger of the right hand as a sort of catapult4 ,the marble is held with the left hand against this finger1 and bending it back1 it is suddenly let go4 ,the effect of this is to volley the marble with great force and accuracy4 ,the ,english boy's method is tame by comparison4 ,the prevailing gambling instinct finds scope in this game1 because the marbles are generally kept by the winners1 and experts amass great stores4 ,some schoolboys1 with a money-lender's disposition1 make a fortune by selling marbles cheap to small and inexperienced boys and then promptly winning them back again4 ,spinning tops is an amusement of which the ,indian boy never grows weary1 and he only leaves off regretfully because its season comes to an end4 ,if he has nothing else to do he will be happy spinning his top1 on and off1 from morning until nightfall1 and naturally grows skilful in the art1 although1 if he has no companion1 it does not admit of much variety4 ,his chief exploit is to scoop up the top while it is still spinning1 on to the palm or back of his hand1 or on to his arm4 ,but there are exciting contests1 when one boy endeavours to spin his top with all his force on to the revolving top of an opponent1 because if successfully accomplished the defeated top splits4 ,a scarred veteran sometimes becomes quite an honoured hero from the number of its victims4 ,some of the tops are of the roughest description1 made by the village carpenter4 ,more finished ones can be bought in the native bazaar for a farthing4 ,but often a hopelessly disreputable-looking top1 with an old nail for its spike1 has a better record for deeds done than a more showy one bought in a shop4 ,those that are spun with the view of splitting their opponent often have1 instead of a spike1 a flattened bit of iron like a little chisel1 which the boys sharpen on a stone1 and with these they do great execution4 ,sometimes somebody's foot is seriously wounded in case of a miss-fire4 ,now and then1 for a change1 a boy will play with a whip-top4 ,kite-flying amongst ,indians is an exciting sport1 quite different to the tame amusement of merely seeing how high a kite will go4 ,the ,indian kites are nearly always quite small1 made of thin coloured paper pasted on to a frame of very slender wooden splints4 ,the better kites are made of paper of several different colours tastefully combined1 and often decorated with gold4 ,strong thread is used1 of which the enthusiastic flyer has a large store on a wooden roller1 which he intrusts to some small confederate who pays it out or takes it in as required1 and is proud to be allowed to have this share in the sport4 ,but the real purpose of ,indian kite-flying is to do battle with somebody else's kite up in the air4 ,you have to try and so manoeuvre your kite that its thread crosses that of your opponent1 who may be stationed quite a long way off and out of sight4 ,he on his part will try and avoid you and get the upper hand himself4 ,in the hands of expert flyers the contest is most exciting4 ,crowds will gather and watch the result with intense interest4 ,the kites dodge1 and rush upwards1 and dive downwards1 as if they were alive1 and the fight often goes on for a long time4 ,the thread is doctored with glass which has been pounded into fine dust and mixed with gum4 ,this gives the thread great cutting capacity1 so that if it fairly crosses that of its opponent1 by a dexterous sawing movement the thread is cut1 and the liberated kite sails away on its own account4 ,then follows intense excitement amongst the crowds of onlookers far and near4 ,the kite1 without the support of its line1 soon begins to flutter downwards4 ,it is an established tradition that it becomes the property of the person into whose hands it falls4 ,the original owner is rarely able to get near enough to secure it4 ,its zigzag course makes it problematical where it will fall4 ,generally those who think they are going to get it are disappointed by a final flutter1 which takes it out of their reach into another pair of outstretched hands4 ,not unfrequently nobody gets it1 because it is torn to shreds amongst the many hands held up to grasp it4 ,some schoolboys spend on kites1 during their season1 every farthing that comes to them2 and kites can be bought from a farthing upwards4 ,they have not a long life1 even at the best of times4 ,frequently they get torn by the wind on their first journey heavenwards1 and a torn kite can rarely be repaired to much purpose4 ,flying competitions on a large scale1 with substantial prizes for the winners1 are organised1 and attract crowds of spectators4 ,the competitors are for the most part men1 some being of mature age4 ,it is a wholesome and entirely harmless form of amusement1 except for the betting which takes place at the big contests4 ,there is a fine game called itte-dhandu1 after the names of the two pieces of wood with which it is played4 ,it is a little like tip-cat4 ,the itte is a rounded bit of wood #b-a_/b inches long and perhaps an inch in diameter4 ,sometimes the ends are made to taper1 but experts say that this is not correct4 ,the dhandu is a stick of similar diameter and about #ae inches long4 ,it is a most exciting game1 with an elaborate code of unwritten rules4 ,it can be played by any number of persons from two onwards4 ,the whole field is kept in constant occupation1 movement1 and excitement4 ,i have in vain tried to get some one to commit the rules to paper4 ,while the game is in season there is no anxiety about how to provide for the wholesome amusement of schoolboys1 because they play it in every vacant interval1 from early morning till they go tired and happy to bed4 ,but directly the proper season has ended1 the game is dropped till the next year4 ,one of its many advantages is that almost any jungle will provide wood from which the itte and the dhandu are easily shaped with a pocket knife4 ,a game1 not unlike ,tom ,tiddler's ground1 is very popular1 chiefly on moonlight nights1 amongst men and boys4 ,it is often played in the streets of cities when traffic has ceased4 ,the ground is divided into squares1 either by scraping boundaries in the dust1 which lies thick in the streets of a native city2 or else at night by pouring water along the lines1 which makes a very conspicuous mark on the dusty surface in the vivid moonlight of the ,east4 ,this childish game is played with great delight by people whom you might think were much too old for such amusement1 and it nearly always forms part of the programme of any village festival4 ,,chapter ,,xx ,,indian ,,wrestlers ,wrestling4 ,village gymnasiums4 ,wrestling contests4 ,the prizes4 ,rustic festivals4 ,modern novelties4 ,mineral waters4 ,ice cream4 ,incandescent lights4 ,the music4 ,absence of merriment4 ,the dull crowd4 ,return of the victor4 ,national characteristics apparent when playing games4 ,wrestling is the chief indigenous athletic exercise of ,india4 ,nearly every village has its band of wrestlers and its gymnasium4 ,the latter is often a substantial house as village houses go1 much decorated with wall paintings inside and out4 ,besides the wrestling-pit1 with its thick layer of soft earth1 it often contains ,indian clubs1 large stones with which the young men exercise their muscles after the manner of dumb-bells1 the post round which they twist and twirl to develop their arms and legs1 and the drums which they beat in the temple and elsewhere on festivals4 ,every village of importance has its annual wrestling day1 to which people come from many miles round4 ,prizes are given from a fund subscribed by the villagers4 ,it is a point of honour that no one competes in his own village1 so that all the prizes may go to outsiders4 ,the wrestling is conducted with much decorum1 in accordance with exact and well-recognised rules4 ,the decision of the referee appears to be nearly always accepted without dispute2 or if ever there is a difference of opinion1 the arbitration of one or two of the elders amongst the villagers is generally sufficient4 ,if arbitration fails1 a free fight is the only way of settling the matter2 but such incidents are rare4 ,the prize is generally a turban1 and however many turbans a man already possesses he likes to add to their number4 ,sometimes there is a good deal of very audible grumbling if the quality of the turban is thought to be defective4 ,now and then important contests between champions in the world of wrestlers are held in cities like ,poona1 and there is a charge for admission1 and the prizes are of value1 gold and silver rings and sums of money4 ,wrestlers train carefully when they are preparing for a contest1 according to their own ideas of training1 and they drink a great deal of milk4 ,the best side of ,indian village life is to be found in this sport1 and as it is one of the few things which is not tainted by idolatry1 ,i could always accept with pleasure an invitation to the gymnasium1 or to be present on the annual sports day4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,yerandawana ,,village ,,wrestlers ,,opposite ,,their ,,gymnasium4 ,in our village little dinner-parties take place in the houses 7or1 rather1 outside the houses7 of the principal farmers1 the evening before the annual wrestling competition4 ,feasts are nearly always held in the open air1 partly because most of the houses are so small that there is not room inside to seat the guests2 and also because low-caste people1 who would not be allowed to come indoors1 can be fed in the open so long as they sit a little apart from the rest4 ,modern novelties are creeping into rustic festivals4 ,mineral waters of native manufacture1 and often astonishingly brilliant in colour1 have become a recognised luxury at such times2 especially since it has become an understood thing that no breach of caste is involved if you drink your soda-water direct from the bottle4 ,enclosed in its glass case the liquid could not have been contaminated by any external touch1 and there is no need to go so far back in its history as to ask who made the soda-water4 ,the ice-cream man1 calling out his wares in what is meant to be ,english1 does a large trade in spite of the microscopic nature of his helpings4 ,native torches are being supplanted by the powerful incandescent lights of recent times1 and one or two of these are hired for the occasion1 and are brought out from ,poona on the heads of coolies1 and burn all night somewhere in the centre of the village4 ,it is an essential element of all ,indian festal enjoyments that they should begin in the evening and last all night4 ,extremes meet1 and this is a peculiarity which the ,indian social world seems to share1 at any rate to a large extent1 with the fashionable world in ,england4 ,of course a band is also a necessary feature4 ,i went down into the village one morning1 after one of their festal nights1 and found most of the villagers seated under the shade of a large tree listening to the band which1 usually so indefatigable1 was strumming rather feebly after its all-night exertions4 ,it was accompanying a poor1 faded-looking woman1 who was singing in a peculiar hoarse voice1 with a slight attempt at action1 and a feeble sort of skip at the end of each stanza4 ,i did not understand what she was singing1 but ,i soon withdrew1 because the songs sung at such times are said to be nearly always bristling with improprieties4 ,but ,indians take most of their pleasures sadly1 and the curious feature of the whole scene was the complete absence of anything corresponding to fun or merriment4 ,both the singer and the members of the band were evidently meaning to be funny1 but the audience might have been listening to a dull sermon in church1 so far as their grave and uninterested faces were concerned4 ,a visitor at any time almost during the festivities would have found them in the same condition4 ,even when feasting1 beyond a certain enjoyment in the process1 there is no indication of merriment in the silent meal4 ,the wrestling competitions began in the late afternoon1 when the power of the sun had a little moderated1 and lasted until dusk4 ,they were held in a field just outside the village1 on newly ploughed land1 which affords a soft bed for the combatants when they fall4 ,many large and beautiful mango-trees gave welcome shade to the two or three thousand spectators1 who formed an immense and deep ring round the arena4 ,some of the young men of the place1 armed with sticks1 displayed much energy in keeping the ground clear4 ,the elders of the village arranged the order of proceedings1 and who was to compete with who4 ,but in spite of the great assembly taking evident interest in what was going on1 and especially in the spirited contests between boy-wrestlers1 it was a distinctly dull crowd1 and there was little animation in the faces of those who were watching the events closely4 ,the only group in which something approaching to cheerfulness was visible was in the knot of customers gathered round the sellers of fruit and drinks4 ,on the road home the crowd sometimes shows a measure of joviality1 and it is always customary to usher victorious wrestlers into their own village with shouts and loud proclamation of what has been accomplished4 ,after a victory in one of the big city contests the hero may even be escorted home with lights and music4 ,it is in games1 perhaps1 more than in anything else1 that national characteristics make themselves apparent4 ,this is specially noticeable in ,india when anyone gets injured in sports or cricket1 or if he has run an exhausting race4 ,the ,englishman hates to be fussed over1 says that his injury is nothing1 and that he can walk home quite easily1 when perhaps his leg is broken2 and he feels dreadfully ashamed of himself if he collapses at the finish of a race4 ,the ,indian1 on the contrary1 makes extraordinary demonstrations over a slight injury2 he flings himself on the ground1 and is apparently at the point of death4 ,his friends rush for water1 and chafe his hands and legs1 and they think the ,englishman unfeeling if he ventures to say that he thinks the sufferer will soon be better4 ,after these performances have gone on for a sufficient time1 the injured man quietly gets up and resumes the game4 ,almost invariably1 at the end of any race1 the winner thinks it necessary to put on the appearance of great exhaustion as long as anyone is looking at him4 ,but when interest is diverted by preparations for the next race1 the fit of exhaustion is easily concluded1 and the sufferer joins the crowd as if nothing had happened4 ,,chapter ,,xxi ,,books ,,in ,,india ,india in fiction4 ,vernacular prayer books4 ,indian letters4 ,indian advertisements4 ,mistaken method of education4 ,slang expressions4 ,swearing4 ,indians possess few books4 ,want of respect for books4 ,cheapness of ,christian books4 ,indian printing and binding4 ,there are a few writers of fiction who depict ,indian native life and talk faithfully4 ,but many readers get an entirely false idea of ,india and its people from certain popular novels1 which are supposed to paint a true picture1 but in which the description even of cities1 and villages1 and scenery are often as unlike the reality as the circumstances and conversations4 ,indian people talk much in the same way as ordinary folk in other parts of the world1 except that unseemly allusions are freely admitted into general conversation in a way which would not be tolerated in a ,christian country4 ,the absurd1 high-flown conversational rhapsodies in the average ,anglo-,indian novel are purely imaginary4 ,kim's talk fairly represents the ordinary talk of the ,indian1 although he was not one himself4 ,a missionary1 newly arrived in the country1 asked whether the ,prayer ,book1 translated into the vernacular1 suited the ,indian people1 or whether its sober language failed to satisfy the ,easterns' desire for rhapsody4 ,but the high flights such as he had in mind are only to be found in novels4 ,people often speak of the ,prayer ,book as if it was a modern compilation of purely ,western origin1 and they seem to forget that it is teeming with ancient ,eastern thought4 ,it is an instance of its ,catholicity that it supplies the needs of all nations4 ,when carefully translated1 many of the people of the ,east make more use of it than some good ,christians do in ,england4 ,even rustic ,indians use it intelligently and with great appreciation1 and it forms their chief manual of private devotion4 ,indian children soon learn to follow the various services which it contains with happiness and profit4 ,many of them have made themselves quite familiar with the whole book from often studying it4 ,innumerable examples have been published of the astonishing letters addressed by ,indians to ,government officials and others4 ,they are astonishing1 both in the nature of the requests made and the ,english in which their wants are expressed4 ,some people suppose that the examples published cannot be really authentic1 or are greatly exaggerated4 ,those who are familiar with some of the originals know that exaggeration is impossible1 because no feigned composition could beat the reality4 ,here is a letter1 copied word for word1 which a ,hindu wrote and brought to me1 asking me to correct it3--,to ,colonel1----4 ,sir1 my eldest son has been suffering since last year from ,morbid heat of skin that is bone fever for which he had ,quinine ,arsenic and chiretta1 but without effect of recovery1 he is gradually getting day by day weaker1 and we have had 'chit chat' at your quarters for granting to my son an appointment as clerk in your office1 please try your best and grant him one1 for which act of kindness ,i shall ever pray for your long life and prosperity4 ,most probably ,i shall see you during the ,christmas ,holidays4 ,an early reply will be greatly oblige1 ,i remain ,sir yours faithful and most respectful servant ,bulwant4 ,indian tradesmen in their advertisements often promise to pray for those who become their customers4 ,here is a quotation from an ,english leaflet1 put out by a bookbinder in our neighbourhood3--,rates and charges for different sorts of binding and gold work will be settled by the undersigned and the party and the undersigned will ever pray for him1 who will call him up by a ,post ,card4 ,the comicalities to be found in shop signboards in the ,english language are endless4 ,but though comical examples of the misapplication of language have been published to weariness1 and the bombastic compositions of educated ,indian students held up to ridicule1 the fault does not lie with the pupil but with ourselves1 who are ultimately responsible for the subjects which are set him to learn4 ,so long as he is made to read books in antiquated ,english1 he will naturally suppose that the flowery and bombastic language of ,addison in the ,spectator1 or of ,dr4 ,johnson1 is the style which he ought to imitate when he writes a letter4 ,nor is it possible for him to discriminate1 in what is to him a foreign language1 between what is antiquated and out of date1 and what is mere modern slang1 and so he sometimes combines the two styles in his compositions with startling effect4 ,it would seem to be more rational to give him the best modern authors to study while he is still a learner1 and to leave it to him to dive into the recesses of ,english literature1 if he is so inclined1 after he has ceased to be a pupil4 ,students bring their books of selections from ,english authors to the missionary1 and ask him to clear up their difficulties4 ,but a long and involved paragraph1 with several obsolete words and obscure satire1 is a tangle which it is almost hopeless to unravel satisfactorily1 when you are dealing with a language so unlike in construction and modes of expression to that of the learner4 ,nor are some of the allusions in the selected passages particularly edifying to the ,hindu mind1 ready to scent evil even where it does not exist4 ,and they tempt him to buy cheap reprints of the literature of the past1 in the hope that he will find matter congenial to a mind easily attracted to that which is pernicious4 ,indian students are sometimes asked in their examinations to explain out-of-the-way or obsolete expressions which are little better than slang4 ,as a result of this1 students when speaking ,english will introduce some of these expressions into their talk1 thinking that by so doing they show their familiarity with the language4 ,when they try to embellish serious sentences in this way the result is sometimes remarkable4 ,they will also repeat words1 never heard in polite society1 under the idea that they are in common use4 ,now and then students swear freely1 supposing that all ,englishmen do so4 ,when taking shelter from the midday sun at a roadside police station--only a little hut a few feet square--,i listened to the ,mohammedan policeman as he talked to a beggar1 who was exhibiting the contents of his bundle in order to show that he had not got any stolen goods4 ,the policeman was talking in ,marathi1 but presently ,i noticed that at intervals a short word occurred1 which sounded like what is popularly regarded as being essentially the ,englishman's oath4 ,i soon discovered that such was really the case1 and that the policeman was adorning his talk with the word which he had heard ,englishmen use when they wanted to give force to their orders4 ,he was1 of course1 quite ignorant of its meaning1 but it was unfortunate that the only ,english word which he knew1 and which he evidently used constantly1 should be of such a nature4 ,few ,indians possess any number of books1 either in their own language or in ,english4 ,the lesson books they may have used at school or college gradually get dispersed4 ,even in the houses of educated people little provision in the shape of bookcases is to be found4 ,a recess in the wall may contain a shelf or two on which a few books are placed in disorderly array1 but they are seldom read4 ,even those who read books take little pleasure in their outward appearance1 and the binding is to them nothing more than a necessary protection to the book inside it4 ,some wealthy ,indian1 following to some extent ,western fashions in his house1 may have in his reception-room the ,encyclopaedia ,britannica1 and a library edition of ,dickens1 elaborately bound4 ,but they are rarely opened and only form part of the decorative furniture of the room1 and stand a poor chance of notice in competition with the big gramophone which1 nowadays1 is to be found in many well-to-do ,eastern households4 ,indians have yet to learn to treat books with the respect which is instinctive amongst people of refinement in most ,european countries4 ,to see a book rudely treated1 or knocked about1 is almost as distressing to many people as if it was an object sensitive to pain4 ,but a book in the hands of even a cultivated ,indian is almost sure to suffer4 ,if it is a new book1 he will open it vigorously1 and bend it back as far as it will go1 in order to make it open properly4 ,its broken back is the permanent memento of the treatment it has received4 ,even ,christian ,indians are slow to learn the outward respect due to their religious books4 ,their prayer books and hymn books1 more often than not1 soon go to pieces for want of reasonable care1 although women are much more careful than men4 ,want of appreciation of the value of a book may partly arise from the fact that nearly all the books which ,christians use have been sold to them under cost price1 through the help of societies4 ,bible societies issue copies of the ,scriptures at extraordinarily cheap rates1 so that they may come within the reach of everybody1 however poor4 ,vernacular prayer books are generally sold at a cost much below that of their production4 ,this was inevitable in early days when ,christians were few in number1 and often poor4 ,but it has left the impression that a book is a thing of little value1 easily replaced4 ,a ,brahmin seeing a book on ,india on my table which he thought he would like to have1 asked the price4 ,on hearing that it was seven or eight shillings1 he lifted up his hands in dismay and said1 ,the price is prohibitive4 ,write and tell ,messrs ,murray ,co4 ,at one time it was almost impossible to get good printing done in ,india1 although many people professed to be printers4 ,of late years there has been a great change in this respect1 and some of the presses produce beautiful vernacular work1 and soon their ,english printing will leave little to be desired4 ,bookbinding also shows sufficient promise to indicate that first-rate results would be forthcoming if there was more demand for it4 ,some of the more enterprising newspaper proprietors are issuing festal numbers of their publication in imitation of our ,christmas numbers1 and though they are in substance rather a sad parody of even our own publications in which the true meaning of ,christmas often has so little place1 the manner of their production is sufficiently artistic to show that ,india will be quite capable of producing her own real ,christmas number when the happy day dawns when she is found demanding it4 ,,chapter ,,xxii ,,indian ,,pageants ,processions4 ,marriage ceremonies4 ,people take little notice4 ,funeral processions4 ,military display4 ,eagerness to see the ,king4 ,military ardour of ,christian boys4 ,hindu procession diverted into the ,church4 ,embarrassing result4 ,problems of worship4 ,religious dancing4 ,father ,benson's ,war-,songs4 ,it is commonly imagined that we in ,india live in a perpetual state of pageant1 and that the ,indian is constantly occupied with brilliant display and stately processions1 and that he cannot be happy without them4 ,in reality1 most ,indian processions are of a tawdry character1 somewhat of the nature of1 but not nearly so imposing1 as that of an average circus in ,england4 ,nor as a rule do these processions excite much interest1 except amongst those who are actually taking part in them1 and even their interest is often languid4 ,the chief processions are in connection with marriages1 and rich men spend a great deal of money on that part of the ceremonial4 ,bands1 and horses1 and carriages1 and bands of artificial flowers borne on the heads of women1 and surrounding the bridegroom as he rides on horseback1 large fans of peacocks' feathers waving round him to keep off evil influences and imaginary flies1 torches at night1 now supplanted by modern incandescent lamps carried on men's heads1 displays of fireworks1 and the exploding of harmless bombs--processions such as these abound in ,indian towns1 and in a simpler form in villages1 at seasons which have been declared propitious for weddings4 ,some of these cavalcades are attended by a multitude of people whose chief concern in the matter probably centres in the feast which is to follow4 ,but even the most magnificent procession hardly excites the faintest curiosity amongst the people of the streets along which it passes4 ,the shopkeeper does not rise from the pillows on the floor of his little shop on which he is dozing2 the brass-worker or silversmith will scarcely lift up his eyes from his work2 the women will hardly come even to their house-door to look2 the little boys busy playing marbles down some side street are too much absorbed in their game to run and see the show4 ,this is a curious contrast to the rapidity with which a crowd will gather on the smallest provocation in a ,european city4 ,even a hearse1 standing at a house-door in ,england1 will draw a very respectable crowd1 merely in order to see the door open and the coffin brought out4 ,a funeral procession in ,india is of much greater possible interest1 because most ,hindus are carried to the place of burning1 or burial1 as the case may be1 on a flat bamboo litter with the face visible1 so that you have the opportunity of recognising1 or not1 the face of a friend in the passing corpse4 ,yet few use the opportunity1 and the sight does not appear to excite the slightest curiosity4 ,nobody bestows any tokens of respect on the funeral procession1 and scarcely anybody gives it even a passing glance4 ,this does not apparently arise from superstitious shrinking from the sight of a corpse4 ,military display does not impress the ordinary ,indian4 ,when a governor drives in state to hold a levee he is attended by a brilliant retinue1 and the ,indian soldiers who form the chief part of his bodyguard are picked men1 looking magnificent in their superb uniform4 ,this imposing display is meant presumably to impress the native mind with the dignity and authority of the representative of the ruling monarch4 ,but in reality it does not excite admiration1 or interest1 or any other sentiment4 ,the glittering cavalcade1 which would bring out half ,london to see it if only they had the opportunity1 passes on its way1 and the chance passers-by hardly pause to look at it4 ,this is not out of disrespect to the powers that be1 but merely because they see nothing to interest or admire4 ,the small body of the disaffected1 of course1 look upon military display as part of the arrogance of the conqueror towards his subjects4 ,the multitudes who thronged the streets of the great cities which the ,king visited1 came together because they wanted to see the ,king himself1 and they would have been just as pleased1 and perhaps even more so1 if he had ridden through the streets in solitary majesty without any retinue4 ,some natives complained that amongst the many ,english officers in gorgeous uniform it was not always possible to distinguish for certain which was the ,king4 ,not unfrequently large bodies of troops come past the ,mission compound in ,yerandawana village on their way to the hilly country beyond1 which provides an ideal area for military tactics4 ,the boys of the ,mission1 through education and drill1 and contact with ,englishmen1 are filled with military ardour1 and are worked up to a pitch of intense excitement by the sight of guns1 and mules1 and baggage-waggons1 and marching soldiers1 and they spend every spare minute by the roadside4 ,but to the ,hindu villagers it means nothing at all4 ,perhaps one or two of the village boys who are attending the day-school will catch a spark of enthusiasm from the ,christian boys1 and will join them by the roadside2 but the majority of the villagers will hardly turn their heads1 much less walk ten yards1 to see the sight4 ,religious processions to some sacred place or shrine are sometimes impressive from the enormous number of pilgrims taking part in them4 ,one day a large procession of ,hindus from a neighbouring village1 on their way to the temple at ,yerandawana1 passed alongside the ,mission compound4 ,they had with them a god1 which they were carrying in a palanquin4 ,one or two boys1 seeing me standing at the church door1 called out to know whether ,i had any pictures to give away4 ,i invited them instead to come and see the church1 and several boys left following the palanquin and came towards me4 ,the crowd seeing this1 and moved with curiosity1 did the same1 and in a few minutes the greater part of the procession was diverted into the church4 ,the result of this was the unusual sight of the church crammed to the doors with eager ,hindus in holiday attire1 and it gave an idea of what will be its aspect on some great festival1 after the conversion of the village has become an accomplished fact4 ,the situation1 however1 soon became embarrassing4 ,the ,hindus appeared rather pleased with their surroundings4 ,some of them had got with them the heavy brass cymbals which they clash as a musical accompaniment in their religious processions4 ,they began to sound their cymbals and to dance in the slow1 sedate way1 which they do in their temples on festal occasions1 or when having an outdoor procession4 ,meanwhile the directors of the ceremonies had grasped the situation1 and setting down the palanquin hurried into church1 and expressing their indignation by words and blows1 endeavoured to drive out the crowd4 ,but as the church has nineteen large double doors this was no easy matter1 because as fast as they were driven out at one door they came in at another4 ,at length the church was cleared1 and the much disorganised procession went on its way4 ,on its return1 after an hour or so1 a good many ,hindus again visited the church1 in order to get a better view of it than they had been able to secure amidst the crowd4 ,the sight of the people1 solemnly dancing and clashing their cymbals in the church1 set one thinking as to the difficulties and problems which the conversion of the villagers will give rise to4 ,it is purgatory to an ,indian to sit still for any length of time4 ,outdoor preachers have to adapt themselves to a congregation which is continually changing4 ,very few can keep their attention for ten minutes4 ,an ordinary ,evensong1 with little variety of posture1 is a dreary exercise for a ,hindu1 and if he comes he seldom sits it out to the end4 ,the ,christian ,indian gets accustomed to it and learns to appreciate it1 but he rejoices in a procession1 or in any ceremonial which involves motion4 ,if the solemn dance and clashing of cymbals during the ,magnificat could be allowed1 the rustic ,indian would enjoy ,evensong4 ,father ,benson1 in his ,war-,songs of the ,prince of ,peace1 thus happily translates the fourth verse of ,psalm #aej--,praise ,him with timbrels tost in timely dance4 ,and that is what the ,christian ,indian would delight to do4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,,the ,,indian ,,character ,erroneous notions about ,india4 ,the ,indian nature shallow4 ,the ,indian as a student4 ,unfinished projects4 ,untidiness4 ,waste of time4 ,petty vanity4 ,quiet obstinacy4 ,how to govern4 ,training of the ,indian boy4 ,punishment4 ,patience4 ,rulers of the ,lawrence school4 ,their success4 ,the ,declaration at ,delhi4 ,unexpected contradictions of character4 ,some of the perplexities of missionaries in ,india1 and also probably of ,civil servants in the ,indian ,government1 arise from preconceived notions about the country and people which are either only partly true1 or are altogether erroneous4 ,it takes years of growing experiences before things gradually assume their proper proportions in the mind4 ,the generally accepted idea that ,indians have a depth of intellect which it is almost impossible to fathom1 is one of the most fruitful causes of mistakes in government1 whether within the comparatively narrow limits of a ,mission area1 or when dealing with affairs which concern the whole country4 ,an extensive and varied experience amongst ,hindus of almost every class and age has led to the conviction that the great depth which could not be fathomed is really a shallow1 and that we should have realised that we touched bottom long ago1 except that we continued to try and probe for it in a region which does not exist4 ,if it is true that the ,indian mind is shallow1 and with limited capabilities1 it explains a great deal which otherwise seems perplexing4 ,nor will this conviction lead you to think less of the ,indian4 ,on the contrary1 it makes you like him all the better1 because you can appreciate his many good qualities without being disappointed because they do not yield all the fruit which might be desired4 ,many instances might be given of the shallowness of the ,indian's mind4 ,in his student days he will often slave at his books to an extent almost unparalleled in any other student world4 ,but when he has attained the goal and secured his diploma1 which is the summit of his ambition1 the number of students who make any further use of the knowledge which they have acquired with so much toil is few indeed4 ,or1 if he has secured a post which would in due course lead on to a position of responsibility and corresponding prosperity1 he will often throw up his work and sacrifice all his prospects on account of some trifling rebuke or imaginary slight4 ,the marks of unfinished projects to be seen all over ,india point to a want of depth of purpose4 ,interest and zeal has abated before the work is complete1 or it was entered upon thoughtlessly without having counted the cost4 ,it does not seem to cause the ,indian any compunction that an undertaking was begun but never finished4 ,nor is the partly built house going to ruin because incomplete1 or the well useless because it has not been sunk deep enough1 an eyesore to him4 ,even his inveterate want of tidiness indicates a careless mind4 ,rubbish of all sorts lying around or within his house1 even if it be of a most unsavoury nature1 so that its presence forces itself upon attention1 does not distress him4 ,inveterate unpunctuality1 and the general absence of a sense of responsibility concerning the value of time1 is another indication of shallowness of mind4 ,days and weeks are allowed to drift away with nothing done1 even amongst those who are supposed to be men of business4 ,petty vanity is also a mark of a shallow nature1 and there are few heathen ,indians who do not boast about attainments and possessions and exploits1 and make unblushing statements which perhaps have not a vestige of truth in them4 ,the reality of ,indian affection as far as it goes1 but its want of depth1 has been already touched upon4 ,what ought to be firmness of character is apt to take the form of a vein of quiet obstinacy1 which is latent in almost all ,indians4 ,with many it is not generally aggressive in character1 and shows itself in matters of no great importance4 ,it is necessary1 for the sake of peace1 to allow ,indian servants to do certain things in their own way4 ,you explain how you prefer to have a thing done and you give your reasons1 and the butler or gardener will apparently agree1 and they will do it for a few days according to your wish2 but as soon as they think that you have forgotten1 they will return to their own custom4 ,and if you were to tell them twenty times1 they would twenty times take the same course4 ,with ,indian children a conflict of opinion is to be avoided if possible1 because1 even with them1 if the spirit of obstinacy is aroused it may easily lead on to serious complications4 ,an ,indian lad1 if he gets his back up1 becomes from the most reasonable of beings the most unreasonable4 ,arguments and warnings are wasted upon him1 and you can only leave him alone and deal with him when he has recovered4 ,when shallowness of nature has been recognised as being that of the average ,indian1 it simplifies your relations with him4 ,you take him as he is1 and enjoy the many attractive qualities which flourish1 up to a certain point1 in the shallow soil4 ,it also makes it easier to govern him1 supposing you have responsibilities of that nature1 if you understand that you must not depend too much on certain qualities which he only possesses in a limited degree4 ,and this is equally true whether your responsibility extends only to one or two individuals1 or whether it embraces a wide area and large populations4 ,with the ,indian boy1 for instance1 firmness and kindness must be judiciously blended4 ,it is no good arguing with him in times of difficulty1 or you will stir up that latent spirit of obstinacy4 ,rules concerning work or conduct must be clearly laid down1 and deviations taken notice of at once4 ,almost all ,indians require the stimulus of supervision to keep them up to their work4 ,but many ,indian boys are slow in learning the duties of their office1 whatever it may be4 ,they must be given time1 and the same thing may have to be often patiently explained before it is digested4 ,a word of commendation for good work or conduct may be dropped now and then1 but not too often1 or it will be taken as an indication that a less amount of exertion will suffice4 ,the question of punishment should always be very carefully thought out beforehand4 ,but if threatened1 and really earned1 it is best given4 ,letting off is looked upon as a sign of weakness1 and does not stimulate gratitude4 ,reasonable punishment1 given good-temperedly1 as the proper due for debt incurred1 never produces ill-feeling4 ,but the ,indian boy smarts under a sense of injustice1 and his case ought always to be carefully weighed1 and what he has to say in his defence patiently listened to1 and due deference should be shown to his special characteristics as an ,eastern and not a ,european4 ,also1 the infinite variety of character to be found amongst ,indian boys should be taken into account4 ,they must be dealt with1 not as a flock1 but as individuals4 ,the old ,anglo-,indians of the ,lawrence school1 who were for the most part eminently ,christian men1 ruled ,india much on the same lines as if it was a large boys' school4 ,and1 when they were not hampered by undue interference from headquarters1 they were on the whole signally successful1 and were both beloved and feared4 ,unless the ,indian nature changes1 and that can only be with the acceptance of ,christianity1 and even then only up to a certain point1 any attempt to govern ,india on different lines will be a dubious experiment4 ,people whose nature is not very strong are often not unwilling to accept the support of a kindly1 but firm hand1 to guide them4 ,and as they rarely agree amongst themselves concerning any course of action1 they like to have things settled for them1 provided that the decision has wisdom and common sense on its side4 ,this of course does not apply to the little knot of discontented political agitators4 ,but they in no way represent the attitude of the people of ,india4 ,the manner of the declaration of ,delhi as the new capital1 coming from the lips of a ,king of whose goodwill they were already assured1 was exactly the course of procedure which most of all commends itself to the ,indian mind4 ,there are1 however1 unexpected contradictions in the ,indian character which baffle explanation4 ,in spite of the almost universal moral laxity in the conversation and personal life of a ,hindu1 any ,english lady could travel in perfect safety through the length and breadth of the land1 in city or in jungle1 with no other attendants than her heathen ,indian servants4 ,there are also ,english parents who have found that an ,indian boy is1 from a moral point of view1 a safer guardian for their young children than the average ,indian woman who usually fulfils that office4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,,religious ,,controversy ,,in ,,india ,discussing religion with ,indians4 ,their illustrations from ,nature4 ,want of applicability4 ,access to the ,king of kings4 ,moral maxims for an ascetic4 ,misapplication of the word religion4 ,observance of caste easy4 ,caste often broken in private4 ,brahmin schoolboy asking for water4 ,the mischievous village boy4 ,people with missionary aspirations have hesitated to volunteer for ,indian work because they felt that they were not competent to grapple with the acute intellects and subtle philosophy of ,indian thinkers4 ,it is commonly said that the acutest intellects in ,india are to be found amongst the ,brahmins of ,poona ,city4 ,a tolerably wide acquaintance amongst them would lead one to say that the would-be missionary's fears are groundless4 ,the real difficulty of controversy with ,indians1 so far as it may be expedient to embark in it at all1 which is doubtful1 is that their arguments are often so discursive1 their reasoning so childish1 their illustrations so comically beside the mark1 that it is scarcely possible to deal with them seriously4 ,they are particularly fond of illustrations drawn from ,nature1 and they always regard the illustration as a conclusive answer to an argument4 ,if you point out its want of applicability1 they reply by at once giving another illustration equally inapplicable4 ,for instance1 the broad-minded modern ,indian argues that all religions ultimately lead to ,god1 and so that they are all equally good2 and he gives as his illustrative proof1 that many rivers starting from a variety of sources eventually empty themselves into the sea4 ,and he looks upon this1 not merely as an illustration1 but as a clinching argument against which nothing can be said4 ,but if you demur he will put the case in the reverse order1 and he will say that just as in ,poona ,city there are many tanks1 but the water which supplies them all comes from the great reservoir many miles away1 so the various forms of religion found in different countries came originally from the same source1 and are therefore identical4 ,a ,hindu1 defending the multiplicity of gods1 said to me that of course there was only one ,supreme ,being1 but that he was too great to be approached by ordinary mortals1 and that it was through the lesser deities that man had access to him4 ,to make this clear1 he used the following illustration4 ,he said that if a man had a grievance he could not go direct to the emperor and state his case1 but he must begin by approaching the district collector1 and ultimately his petition might reach the ears of the emperor4 ,happily this illustration gave the opportunity to say that in the ,kingdom of ,christ the poorest outcast1 or the little child1 can have direct and immediate access to the ,king of kings1 whose ears are always open to the prayers of all ,his people4 ,moral maxims1 such as they are1 are often put into the same illustrative form4 ,the following maxims are for the guidance of an ascetic3-- ,as the uncomplaining earth suffers injuries and affronts without any sign of resentment1 so should the ascetic be unperturbed by any ill-treatment and indignities he may be subjected to4 ,into the serene sky ascend the glad sounds of mirth1 the fierce roar of battle1 the beating of drums1 and the clash of swords2 but it retains none of them2 the ascetic in the midst of the turmoil of life should1 in like manner1 retain no impression of the events about him1 be they joyous or mournful4 ,as the pure flame feeds indiscriminately on all sorts of fuel1 the living timber of the forest as well as the refuse of the dung-heap1 so ought the ascetic to accept willingly whatever food is given to him1 never reflecting on its value1 nor whether it is stale or fresh4#b ,footnote #b3 ,oman1 ,the ,ascetics of ,india1 p4 #aeh4 ,the reader will be able to judge for himself how far the application of these illustrations is calculated to help a man in his religious aspirations towards asceticism4 ,the fact that ,hinduism is a religion which still has a great hold upon the majority of the people of ,india may be partly explained by the shallowness of the ,indian mind1 which was referred to in the last chapter4 ,if there had been greater depth of feeling1 and keener perception of what the soul needs1 the ,hindu religion could never have held its ground for so long4 ,in spite of what many writers say about ,hinduism permeating every corner of domestic life1 which is true in a sense1 it does not mean that religion1 as we understand the word1 permeates the ,indian household4 ,in an article in the ,fortnightly of ,september #aiji1 an educated ,hindu1 ,mr4 ,p4 ,vencatarao by name1 writing on the subject1 ,why ,i am not a ,christian1 after stating amongst other things that ,hinduism has no fundamental dogmas1 goes on to say3 ,hinduism is much more a matter of social intercourse and domestic life than of religion in the proper sense of the word4 ,and that is perfectly true4 ,it is a particularly easy religion to follow4 ,the moral code is left undefined1 and for the child depends upon the individual characteristics of the members of the household in which he grows up4 ,the only clear rule of life which the ,hindu possesses is concerning the observance of caste4 ,that is to say1 he must never take food or drink which has been in any way contaminated by the touch of a caste lower than his own1 and marriage may only be contracted within the limits of his own caste4 ,this rule he observes strictly1 at any rate in public1 from the earliest childhood onwards4 ,but it conveys no moral obligation4 ,on the contrary1 it tends to self-esteem and selfishness4 ,nor does it often cause any serious inconvenience4 ,or when it does1 as for instance when travelling1 the exigences of modern life have brought about a number of small concessions to the strictness of the rule concerning food and drink1 so that the inconveniences have been mitigated or removed4 ,numbers of ,hindus break their caste rules in private4 ,more than once a high-caste visitor in the verandah1 when he was alone1 has asked me for a drink of water2 and there is no breach of caste so heinous as to take water from the hand of a ,christian4 ,now and then a ,hindu lad will display such an audacious courage in religious matters that it partakes rather of the nature of a boyish freak4 ,several big ,brahmin lads1 most of them being about sixteen or seventeen years old1 had been visiting the ,mission-house rather frequently and showed a good deal of interest in ,christianity4 ,one of them1 when sitting in the verandah1 suddenly said to one of the ,fathers3 ,could ,i have a drink of water8 ,the ,father replied that he would fetch him the water if he wished4 ,the lad said3 ,bring it1 please2 and when the glass of water was brought1 he drunk it in the presence of his companions1 and thus deliberately and publicly breaking his caste4 ,unless he had been prepared to follow his action up in some definite way1 it had no particular use2 but it was not for us to suggest scruples4 ,it need scarcely be added that the visits from that particular group of lads ceased1 and it was long afterwards that1 meeting the perpetrator of this rash act in the road1 ,i asked him what penalties he had had to undergo for what he had done4 ,he denied that any results followed1 but the cessation of his visits gave the lie to this assertion4 ,illustration3 ,,nirari ,,bhosle4 ,one of the village boys1 who is endowed with a strong spirit of mischief1 implored me to cut off his pigtail in order that he might have the fun of seeing his mother's horror when he returned without it4 ,but as he had no present intention of becoming a ,christian1 and it would have made a row to no purpose1 ,i refused to be an accomplice to his mischief4 ,,chapter ,,xxv ,,wild ,,beasts ,,in ,,india ,tigers not often seen4 ,unlooked-for visits4 ,appearance of a tiger4 ,the dead panther4 ,government rewards4 ,annual return of people killed4 ,the tiger's den4 ,jackals2 their cry4 ,wolves4 ,so-called wolf-boys4 ,the ,asiatic lion4 ,when an ,english boy meets a missionary from ,india the only thing he wants to know is whether he has ever seen any tigers1 and he is disappointed if he gets an answer in the negative4 ,the truth is1 that though wild beasts are still numerous they keep out of sight as much as possible4 ,they soon realise that man is their enemy1 and ordinarily they give him as wide a berth as possible4 ,when a grandee wants to shoot a tiger the difficulty is to find one1 and an elaborate and lengthy campaign has to be organised1 and an army of beaters called into requisition in order to gradually bring the tigers within range4 ,a forest officer of long experience1 in that jungly region where the mouths of the ,ganges open out into the ,bay of ,bengal1 told me that though tigers are known to frequent those parts1 he had never seen one4 ,in the hot weather in ,india ,english people sleep with doors and windows wide open on the ground floor1 or in the verandah1 or even quite out of doors in their compound1 without apprehension4 ,whereas in ,england1 where there are no wild beasts1 and thieves may be supposed to be under control1 doors and windows are barred at night as if the house was about to sustain a siege4 ,but where there are no barriers of sea to prevent wild beasts from wandering wherever they please1 unlooked-for visits are possible1 even if improbable4 ,animals are sometimes obliged to abandon their usual haunts in time of drought1 when the normal sources of water have dried up1 and they wander farther afield and come nearer to the haunts of men than is their wont4 ,occasionally people are taken by surprise by the advent of a panther1 or even a tiger1 in a district which they were supposed to have deserted4 ,one of the ,brothers and some of the ,mission boys were climbing about the hills in holiday time in the neighbourhood of ,kala1 a small village twenty miles or so from ,poona1 and in the heat of the day rested for a while in the shade of a thicket of small trees4 ,continuing their walk1 they were startled on looking back to see a tiger jump out of the thicket in which they had been resting4 ,tigers rarely come into the open in the middle of the day unless they have been disturbed1 and his sudden appearance was soon accounted for when an ,englishman1 accompanied by some native beaters1 emerged4 ,the ,englishman fired1 and the tiger gave a terrible roar1 as he generally does when wounded1 and went back into the thicket4 ,to dislodge him was not an easy task1 because a wounded tiger is1 of course1 a most dangerous beast4 ,but eventually he broke cover again1 and the ,englishman shot him dead2 and the boys had the novel experience of inspecting at close quarters the body of a tiger who1 not long before1 had been sheltering from the rays of the noonday sun in the same thicket as themselves4 ,one ,sunday a bullock-cart drew up at the ,mission-house1 containing a large panther which had been shot1 some eight or nine miles away1 by a ,christian who is one amongst the few privileged natives allowed to carry a gun4 ,he was bringing the body in order to exhibit it to the local authority1 so that he might claim the ,government reward4 ,the skin also fetches a good price4 ,the scent was getting rather strong1 so after photographing the successful hunter and his son1 standing over the beast in the approved fashion1 we were glad to hurry him on4 ,its claws and teeth were in a very dirty and neglected condition1 which may partly account for the great danger of even slight lacerations made by an animal of this kind4 ,government sometimes spends as much as ,l#hjjj a year on rewards for the destruction of wild beasts and snakes in ,british ,india1 and the annual return of the number of human beings reported as having been killed by them shows that they are still sufficiently numerous to be a power in the land4 ,in a recent return this number reached the enormous total of #bd1egf4 ,but snakes were accountable for #ba1hbg out of these deaths4 ,in the same year1 in the case of #dh people killed by tigers in the ,central ,provinces1 nearly all were the victims of one tigress which had been infesting the jungle for some years4 ,a confirmed man-eater becomes very crafty1 and difficult to kill4 ,there are many hills and dales where wild beasts found a congenial home from which they have gradually retreated in the face of man and civilisation4 ,a den in the hillside1 visible from the ,mission bungalow at ,yerandawana1 is still spoken of as the ,tiger's den1 and a remote1 but probably true tradition lingers of an immense tiger who lived there and who was eventually hunted down and slain by order of the then ruler of the district4 ,at the present day1 in the immediate neighbourhood of ,yerandawana the only wild creatures left are the fox and the jackal1 with an occasional hyena4 ,jackals visit the outskirts of the village at night to see if there is anything eatable to be picked up1 and they sometimes race across the ,mission compound in the early morning on their way home4 ,it is to be feared that they visit the ,hindu cemetery1 where the graves are often so shallow that the bodies are scarcely covered4 ,the low-caste men1 whose duty it is to bury stray corpses1 do not expend more labour over their task than they can help4 ,jackals generally travel in companies at night1 and they utter a most peculiar and rather attractive sharp cry in chorus1 which they are commonly said to repeat after exact intervals of time4 ,but solitary jackals are often to be met with4 ,in the mountainous district somewhat farther away wolves are still found1 and they do a little damage amongst the flocks of the villages4 ,some two or three hundred persons are carried off yearly by wolves in ,british ,india4 ,the majority of these victims are very young children who have strayed away a little from their parent's hut4 ,there is a widespread belief in rural ,india that wolves1 instead of devouring these babies1 occasionally bring them up amongst their own young ones4 ,it has been questioned whether these stories of wolf-boys have any foundation in fact4 ,a schoolmaster1 whose evidence was reliable1 told me that he had actually seen a boy of this description brought to a mission in ,north ,india by people who had found him in the jungle4 ,they led him by a string1 as if he had been a wild animal4 ,the ,mission accepted the charge1 and the boy proved quiet and docile2 but he never learnt to speak1 nor1 in fact1 was it possible to teach him anything4 ,he did not join the other boys in their games4 ,when he went to church he sat there quietly1 but without any apparent understanding of what it meant4 ,he learnt1 however1 to smoke1 and made signs to indicate that a cigarette would be acceptable2 and if one was given him he gave a kind of salute by way of acknowledgment1 which shows that his mind was not quite a blank4 ,he seemed to be about ten years old when the people brought him1 but whether he was still alive the schoolmaster did not know4 ,even in this case there was no direct evidence to connect the boy with wolves4 ,but the natives have so many stories of the kind that it would seem likely that there is some truth in them4 ,it is not inconceivable that the young wolves might welcome the arrival of the strange child as a new playmate1 and that if its life was spared at the first the wolf-boy would1 through his human nature1 gain a sort of ascendancy over his foster-parents1 and they would eventually fear to hurt him1 after the fashion of ,mowgli in ,rudyard ,kipling's ,jungle ,book4 ,the ,asiatic lion is sometimes spoken of slightingly1 as if it was a feeble creature and almost extinct4 ,a visit to ,kathiawar1 in ,guzerat1 would dispel the idea4 ,in one forest alone1 only a few years back1 there were said to be a hundred lions1 which were the terror of the surrounding villages4 ,one of these lions in recent years killed an officer who formed one of a shooting party organised for the benefit of one of the former governors of ,bombay4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,,some ,,indian ,,animals ,the squirrel4 ,the tame antelope4 ,effect of the railway4 ,monkeys in ,delhi4 ,in the jungle4 ,wild pigs2 their destruction4 ,the mongoose4 ,the buffalo2 its milk2 its disposition4 ,the ,indian donkey4 ,hard labour4 ,poor fare4 ,indian callousness4 ,elephants4 ,camels4 ,the horse4 ,in the jungle of trees and coarse vegetation which surrounds many of the old-fashioned bungalows in ,india1 the shrill1 nor very musical call of the squirrel--half cry and half whistle--may frequently be heard4 ,they gambol about the trees1 and run up the walls of the bungalow1 and chase each other along the eaves with apparent gaiety and freedom from care4 ,but as you watch them through the chinks of the blinds made of slender reeds1 which shade the verandah from the glare of the sun1 you see signs that all is not harmony even in their small world4 ,the grey and black striped fur of the squirrel always appears spotlessly clean1 and in all their spare moments they are busy at their toilet4 ,the bushy tail is their chief beauty1 and it is scarcely ever at rest4 ,like so many other animals1 they betray their varying emotions by the way in which they frisk it about4 ,their manners are beautiful1 and when they have got hold of a choice morsel they take it in their paws1 and sitting on their haunches eat it with evident enjoyment1 but with a certain polish and grace of manner pretty to see4 ,young squirrels are easily tamed1 and soon get reconciled to making their home in the jacket pocket of a schoolboy4 ,when ,i was staying in the bungalow of a country mission1 an exquisitely graceful antelope stepped into the verandah1 and entering the room where we were breakfasting1 went up to my host and asked for food4 ,he had tamed it when young1 but it was now living a semi-wild life1 and was often absent in the jungle for days together4 ,in some parts of ,india various kinds of deer may be seen from the windows of the train4 ,the making of a line of railway naturally has the tendency to drive the wild creatures of the district deeper into the jungle1 but after a while they to some extent get accustomed to the passing of the train1 and delightful glimpses of animal life can sometimes be got when travelling4 ,monkeys1 for instance1 have insatiable curiosity1 and when they have got over their first alarm the quaint sight may sometimes be seen of a row of monkeys seated on the top of the boundary wall to watch the train go by4 ,monkeys have become lawless citizens of ,delhi1 and will no doubt greatly welcome the enlarged scope for mischief which the new city will open out to them4 ,they travel in troops over the flat roofs1 and are very bold and mischievous1 and great thieves4 ,but monkeys must be studied in their wild freedom in the woods to appreciate them4 ,when seen leaping from tree to tree with refreshing elasticity1 or from rock to rock in the open country1 their spirit of fun and mischief having full scope1 the sight is a delightful one4 ,they stick very closely to their own districts1 although now and then a solitary monkey will detach himself from the rest and search for pastures new4 ,wild pigs are common in some parts1 looking like the poor relations of their tame brethren4 ,they do great harm amongst crops1 and no weapon is of much avail against them except the gun4 ,the ,christian who shot the panther mentioned in the last chapter was largely employed by the ,hindu farmers round about to shoot any wild pig that came into their fields4 ,it was for him a profitable job1 because1 besides his fee1 he got the carcase of the pig1 for which he could always get ,rs4 #aj from a ,parsee1 who regarded the flesh as a great luxury4 ,wild pigs are also chased in the so-called sport of pig-sticking1 which is popular amongst some ,english residents4 ,now and then the mongoose1 useful as a destroyer of snakes and rats1 may be caught sight of1 with his long coarse fur1 running across the road1 or hunting along a fence1 much in the same way as a weasel shows himself in ,england1 although the mongoose is a good deal larger4 ,sometimes they will even venture into a bungalow to prospect1 and young ones are easily tamed and become domestic pets4 ,every morning a lumbering buffalo shambles into the compound to be milked on the premises1 in order to ensure getting the unadulterated article4 ,even then it is expedient to look into the bottom of the vessel to see that no water has been put there before the milking begins4 ,buffalo's milk is not very rich1 and the cream1 such as it is1 produces a white and tasteless butter1 which has generally to be doctored and coloured before an ,englishman will look at it4 ,the buffalo for the greater part of the year has not much flesh on his huge skeleton1 and is a sorrowful-looking creature with an expressionless eye and an inky skin1 and often with enormous horns which give him a formidable appearance4 ,but except when buffaloes fight amongst themselves they are not savage beasts1 although their temper is uncertain1 and they are said to be liable to attack an ,englishman in districts where they are not accustomed to the sight4 ,generally buffaloes appear to take no interest whatever in life1 except to regard it as a burden too heavy to bear4 ,a whole herd is sent out to graze under the care of a small boy2 they are in astonishing subjection to his despotic rule4 ,the ,indian donkey is very small1 and its foal is a beautiful little creature2 but its life-long sentence of hard labour begins early4 ,it spends its days carrying great weights of earth1 or brick1 or stone1 or gravel1 in panniers made of coarse sacking1 for buildings1 road-making1 and the like4 ,they work in droves of a dozen1 or twenty1 or more1 according to the prosperity of the contractor4 ,when they have delivered their burden1 the men and boys who are in charge each mount a donkey1 the legs of the men almost touching the ground1 and the cavalcade goes for a fresh load1 often at full gallop4 ,it is an understood thing that an ,indian donkey finds its own food1 how and where he can1 in odd moments during the day1 or at night when he is turned adrift to wander as far as his hobbled legs can take him4 ,the brief period of plenty1 when grass springs up after the rains1 is so brief that it must only make the rest of the year appear the more blank by way of contrast4 ,indians are credited with being humane1 because they are unwilling to take life1 but there are probably few people who are so callous concerning the sufferings of the animal world4 ,the owners of the donkeys have a cruel custom of slitting their nostrils1 because it is supposed to moderate the loudness of their bray4 ,illustration3 ,,milking ,,the ,,buffalo4 ,elephants are used much less as beasts of burden than was the case in days gone by4 ,some are employed in military service and in the pursuit of big game1 but their chief function is to make an imposing appearance on grand occasions in some of the native states4 ,but the fact that elephants were not used in the royal processions at the last ,delhi ,durbar1 will probably lead to their being gradually less used even for ceremonial purposes4 ,camels are employed for all sorts of work in ,northern ,india1 and add greatly to the picturesqueness of the road and street traffic4 ,the horse plays a subordinate part1 comparatively speaking1 in the labours of ,india1 except for hack duty4 ,and though wealthy people1 both ,english and ,indian1 drive handsome horses1 the motor-car is rapidly taking their place in the service of the rich1 or the prosperous professional1 of all nations4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,,the ,,indian ,,world ,,of ,,nature ,the ,southern ,cross4 ,crocodiles4 ,fire-flies4 ,locusts2 their ravages4 ,indian birds2 they cannot sing2 their plumage4 ,the brain-fever bird4 ,swallows4 ,peewits4 ,vultures4 ,crows4 ,kites4 ,tameness of the birds4 ,in spite of the expression1 a traveller's tale1 being equivalent to saying that a story is probably untrue1 your confidence in the general veracity of the traveller is strengthened when you find that certain things are even more beautiful or strange than books of travel led you to expect4 ,for instance1 the ,southern ,cross is a glorious constellation and an undoubted cross1 and entirely satisfying1 so that you are not disturbed by the opinions of the few who say that it is disappointing4 ,whether you see it for the first time from the deck of the steamer in the ,red ,sea1 or for the hundredth time high up in the air over the heathen ,city of ,poona1 as if it claimed victory over it1 the sight is always equally inspiring4 ,the view of crocodiles lying on the mud-bank of a river in ,bengal inspired confidence in the accuracy of early teachings1 because they were so like the hideous monster in the picture hung on the nursery wall4 ,a crocodile can see and breathe while the whole of its body is immersed in the water1 because its eyes and nostrils are on a plane on the surface of the head4 ,a person incautiously bathing1 or dipping water out of the river1 may be suddenly seized by a crocodile who1 though on the watch1 is buried in the muddy water and invisible4 ,every year a certain number of human lives are lost in this way4 ,cattle and other animals coming to the river-side to drink are dragged into the water and devoured4 ,the ,poona river1 swollen to a torrent in the rains1 and for the rest of the year reduced to a small stream1 meandering along a stony and rocky bed1 is not suited to the habits of a crocodile1 and there are none4 ,the brilliance of fire-flies is quite beyond the description usually found in books4 ,they flash hither and thither like tiny electric lamps1 and they are so numerous in certain places at certain times that they might be supposed to be some organised scheme of fairy illumination on a large scale4 ,boys sometimes capture two or three and put them into a bit of muslin and carry them about as lamps1 and the light they give is quite appreciable4 ,the insect itself is a dull-looking little creature1 apart from its luminosity4 ,another astonishing experience in which the reality at least equals the descriptions1 is a visitation of locusts4 ,when you hear for the first time the peculiar rustling sound made by the beating of the countless wings of the vast army which sweeps past in an unbroken stream for hours1 you realise what an invasion of locusts really means4 ,military terms1 such as army1 invasion1 are strictly applicable1 because locusts come with a rush and determination1 and a military precision1 and an evident unanimity of purpose1 which suggests the movements of soldiers under orders4 ,this idea is accentuated when the head and body of the locust is of a bright red colour4 ,the rapid destruction which they cause has also been described with fidelity4 ,they have jaws of great power1 and when they take possession of a tree it is stripped in ten minutes or so4 ,when locusts settle down on a group of trees1 the colour of each tree is instantaneously changed from green to red1 because there is practically a locust to every leaf4 ,when they travel on again1 the tree they leave behind them is bare as an ,english tree in mid-winter4 ,little can be done to arrest their progress4 ,an ordinary garden may be protected to some extent by beating the trees with poles1 and so driving off the locusts as fast as they alight4 ,but to protect any large area in this way is impossible4 ,the natives try to frighten them by making a deafening din1 beating tom-toms and tin cans1 but it is doubtful whether the locusts pay any heed to these demonstrations4 ,a few people amongst the lower castes eat locusts1 but they are not sought after by ,indians in general4 ,monkeys1 dogs1 and some birds eat them1 but their numbers are so vast that none of their enemies produce any appreciable diminution4 ,in the ,indian world of nature the sweet melody of the birds of ,england is absent4 ,no ,indian bird knows how to sing4 ,some make a brave attempt1 but they break down after the third note4 ,the so-called ,indian nightingale only deserves its name because its performance is a shade less disappointing than that of the rest4 ,nor do the birds compensate for their lack of musical power by the splendour of their plumage4 ,it is generally supposed that plants and animals in the tropics must necessarily be brilliant in colour4 ,but many ,english birds equal ,indian ones even in this respect4 ,for instance1 the green wood-pecker with his red crest is scarcely less gorgeous than the green parrot1 and the kingfisher only comes behind its ,indian relative in size4 ,the plumage of the golden oriole is certainly sumptuous1 and brilliant sunshine has1 of course1 the effect of showing off colour to the best advantage4 ,though ,indian birds cannot sing1 they shout1 and scream1 and whistle4 ,what is known amongst ,english residents as the brain-fever bird1 is common in some districts4 ,he makes a series of sounds1 thought by some to resemble this word1 over and over again with increasing rapidity and shrillness1 until he breaks down and begins afresh4 ,to people actually suffering from the ordinary fever so common in ,india he is sometimes a serious annoyance1 because it is almost impossible not to follow him mentally in his incessant repetition of brain fever4 ,to a few fortunate people his peculiar note does not suggest these words4 ,even the ,indian sparrow drowns conversation with his shrill chirp1 taking advantage of the ever-open doors and windows to invade the bungalow1 and making determined efforts to make his nest in the most inconvenient places4 ,the swallows which build in the verandah are like old friends1 and are always welcome4 ,the curious cry which they make as they wheel in and out of the verandah in the last few minutes before they plunge into bed under the eaves1 sounds almost melodious by contrast with the strange noises made by other birds4 ,there is also a species of peewit who utters a rather pretty call1 which might be supposed to be the ,marathi version of what the ,english peewit says4 ,vultures are as uncanny-looking as they are painted1 and to see them waiting on the trees near the erections where ,parsees put out their dead to be devoured1 is not a pleasant sight4 ,they also sit and watch near the ,hindu burning-grounds1 which suggests the uncomfortable idea that pickings are to be had there also4 ,the rapidity with which they collect from all parts and swoop down upon the dead carcase of an animal is astonishing to witness4 ,their value as scavengers is great1 and in a very short time nothing is left of the carcase but bare bones4 ,crows are also useful as scavengers4 ,nevertheless1 they are a great nuisance1 especially in ,bombay4 ,their loud cawing is often most distracting2 but they are also bold thieves1 and do not hesitate to enter houses when they see their opportunity and to carry off any portable article which comes first to hand1 even when it is of no possible use to them4 ,some of the birds of prey are beautiful objects1 on account of their size1 and the boldness of their flight4 ,kites wheel about in the air in large numbers around ,poona4 ,since people carry almost everything upon their heads1 a kite not unfrequently makes a sudden swoop and snatches a prize out of the basket4 ,few people are allowed a gun license1 so that birds are less afraid of mankind than they are in ,england1 and favourable opportunities constantly occur of observing them near at hand4 ,a great variety may be met with in an ordinary country walk in the cultivated parts of ,india where food is plentiful4 ,although they cannot sing1 many of them have quaint and charming personal characteristics4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,,insects ,,in ,,india ,noise of insects at night4 ,troublesome in the evening4 ,the blister-fly4 ,bees4 ,wasps4 ,cockroaches4 ,ants in the bungalow4 ,white ants4 ,scorpions2 their sting4 ,boys callous of the feelings of insects4 ,bugs4 ,spiders4 ,mosquitoes4 ,the mosquito-net4 ,flies4 ,the eye-fly4 ,insects resembling their surroundings4 ,butterflies4 ,the praying mantis4 ,amidst the many sounds of the restless ,indian night1 some far away1 some near at hand1 there is one which1 when it commences1 drowns all the rest4 ,it is a harsh1 metallic1 rasping1 shrill1 unmusical sound4 ,it might seem as if it had to do with some machinery1 except that it is unlike the sound of any machine that you ever heard4 ,it begins in the room where you are sitting reading1 or else out in the verandah1 where you are enjoying the cooler breeze of evening4 ,loud as it is1 you cannot locate it4 ,at one moment you think it is up aloft amongst the rafters1 at another moment it seems to be close by4 ,it emanates from an uninteresting-looking brown insect1 about an inch long1 who makes prodigious jumps like a grasshopper4 ,one night when this din was so great that conversation was almost impossible1 ,i was astonished to find that the insect was on the table1 only a few inches away from my book1 and ,i was able to see his method of making this sound4 ,he was vibrating his horny wing-cases with marvellous rapidity1 producing such an amount of noise that1 unless one had seen it in process of production1 it would have seemed impossible that it could arise from such a humble source4 ,at certain seasons1 and especially when it is warm and damp1 the evening meal in the country is attended with difficulty because of the quantity of insects1 especially beetles1 which are attracted by the lamp1 and they appear to make a specialty of falling into any dish which may be at hand4 ,when camping out the difficulty is intensified1 and the only thing to be done is to put the lamp at a distance and to dine in comparative darkness4 ,such a variety of insects come that an entomologist might make quite a respectable collection in the course of one night4 ,one of these evening visitors after the rains is a long1 slim beetle1 green1 or sometimes buff in colour1 with a small head which fits loosely into his body4 ,he twists his head about as if his collar was uncomfortable4 ,when alarmed he exudes a strong acid which at once raises a blister4 ,he is the more dangerous because1 flying in rapidly1 he often alights on your collar or neck1 and the action of brushing him off causes the emission of the acid1 and the blister follows4 ,in the daytime1 bees1 black and hairy1 immense in size1 and making a noise like a threshing-machine1 come banging in at the open windows4 ,they are not as formidable as they look1 except in their own domains1 and they quickly depart in response to indications that they are not wanted4 ,they know their way out without difficulty1 which is contrary to the experience of most intruding animals4 ,a solitary wasp is apt to select inconvenient places in which to build a mud-cell wherein to deposit its egg1 and the store of live caterpillars destined to be the food of its young when hatched4 ,you find a keyhole1 or the tap of a filter1 filled with mud as the result of this wasp's labours4 ,it works so rapidly that it generally completes its job in the course of a day4 ,an even more inconvenient site for its nest is the sleeve of a garment left hanging on a peg1 especially if you put the garment on while the wasp is at work4 ,a small colony of social wasps built their comb under the refectory table of the village ,mission-house4 ,they were so determined to remain that for some months they resisted all attempts to get rid of them1 returning as often as they were dispersed4 ,cockroaches1 some of great size1 abound in most houses1 and are very destructive4 ,they nibble the bindings of books1 and cut quaint devices1 which look almost as if they had been done with a pair of scissors1 in clothes put away in drawers4 ,they run at an amazing pace when they think they are in danger4 ,jet black ants1 enormously big and warlike in appearance1 come into bungalows1 sometimes in unpleasantly large numbers1 to see what they can pick up4 ,they are not really aggressive1 nor do they do any particular mischief4 ,another kind of ant1 very like an ordinary ,english one though smaller1 is a great trial to housekeepers4 ,they get into the bread and sugar and other stores1 and though cupboards are generally set in saucers of water on account of insect depredators1 these ants often manage to get in4 ,white ants are most destructive in a house if it is built of materials which they can deal with4 ,in the case of many houses in ,india1 mud is used instead of mortar1 and the structure suffers greatly if the white ants take possession4 ,all woodwork1 including furniture1 ought to be of teak1 because they are unable to burrow into it4 ,sound hard floors are necessary1 so that when ants try to work their way upwards they may find their road blocked4 ,otherwise1 in the course of one night1 they will eat large holes in a mat or carpet1 coming up from beneath4 ,they make havoc in a library if they get amongst the books4 ,many ant-heaps out in the country are so large as to be conspicuous objects4 ,scorpions may be found anywhere4 ,in your bedding1 in your boots1 in your clothes1 under your books and1 out of doors1 chiefly under stones4 ,you soon get into the way of prudently shaking each garment before putting it on4 ,the scorpion averages about two inches in length1 but they vary a good deal in size1 and also in colour4 ,they much resemble a little lobster in appearance4 ,their sting is not dangerous under ordinary circumstances1 but the pain is great1 and resembles a blow on the funny bone1 continuing acute for some hours4 ,the boys1 sleeping on the floor and having bare feet1 get stung now and then1 and generally make great lamentations over the misfortune4 ,indian boys are like many ,english rustics in their disregard for the feelings of animals--they appear honestly to think that they have none--and they delight in forming a chain of scorpions by making them grip each other1 which they do fiercely1 and hang on tenaciously4 ,boys will also nip off the end of their tail to prevent them from stinging1 and leave them in this maimed condition4 ,wherever ,indians live1 bugs are invariably found4 ,hence in schools where many ,indian children are gathered together these insects are sure to find an entrance1 in spite of vigilant care and cleanliness4 ,when the small boys of the ,mission moved out from their old quarters in the city1 which like all old native houses was much infested1 immense pains were taken to make sure that no bug was transported to the new home in the country4 ,but it was not long before these intruders showed themselves in the new house4 ,possibly they fulfil some useful but at present unknown function as destroyers of microbes4 ,spiders are much in evidence1 and some are very large and fierce4 ,out in the country ,i once fairly ran away from a great spider1 which made for my foot with a courage and ferocity such as one would not expect to find in an animal of the kind4 ,but they are not altogether unwelcome in a house1 because they help to keep down the population of the insect world4 ,there is a handsome little spider who spins no web1 and roves about1 and springs on its victim like a tiger4 ,mosquitoes are the most troublesome insects to be found in the tropics1 although some districts are much more infested than others4 ,there are several different kinds4 ,the one that causes the most irritation is smaller than the average ,english gnat4 ,they are veritable bloodsuckers1 and the amount of blood which a mosquito can imbibe is astonishing4 ,they may be seen so distended after their night's work that they can scarcely fly4 ,newcomers from ,england are their special prey1 and their bites often cause a good deal of inflammation4 ,the loud hum with which they approach is almost as disturbing as their bite4 ,most ,english people have nets of fine gauze surrounding their beds1 and some ,indians have adopted the same precaution since the promulgation of the theory that the bite of an infected mosquito is the cause of malarial fever4 ,natives when they sleep1 generally roll themselves up completely1 head and all1 in a dhota1 which they use then after the manner of a sheet4 ,the mosquito-nets cut off a good deal of air1 and people are tempted to discard them unwisely when the nights are intensely hot4 ,the framework from which the nets depend is a frail counterpart of the four-poster of the ,victorian age4 ,the net is usually tucked in under the mattress1 to prevent any possibility of the mosquito entering4 ,in places where mosquitoes abound they are troublesome by day as well as by night1 and they are specially fond of attacking the ankles of persons seated at table4 ,towards the close of the rainy season flies become numerous almost everywhere1 but especially in a native city like ,poona1 and they are an unpleasant indication of its unsavoury condition4 ,they fall into your cup1 the table is black with them1 your food becomes a matter of dispute between you and them4 ,but out of doors1 except at meal-time in camp1 they are not nearly so aggressive as the summer flies which buzz around during a country walk in ,england4 ,though they could be dispensed with without regret1 they are probably of great value as scavengers4 ,there is a very small fly which is popularly known as the eye-fly1 because it hovers in front of your eye like a troublesome person who will not take a refusal4 ,it apparently thinks that the pupil is the entrance into some desirable chamber4 ,fortunately it rarely gets beyond the stage of prospecting this supposed entrance4 ,now and then it travels round to your ear and prospects there also4 ,but though it does so at a safe distance it makes an irritating hum1 and it is so small that attempts to flap it away are futile4 ,there are many striking instances in ,india of insects being protected from their enemies by their likeness in colour and markings to the tree or plant on which they feed4 ,the most noteworthy example of this is a long insect1 so precisely similar to a bit of dry stick that1 until you actually see it walk1 you can hardly believe that it can be anything else4 ,butterflies1 in the ,poona district at any rate1 are disappointing4 ,they are larger than the ,english ones--the scale of most things in ,india is big--but their colours are not strikingly brilliant4 ,some of the large moths are handsome1 but not more so than many of the ,english nocturnal moths4 ,the most comical insect is the praying mantis4 ,it is of a fresh green colour1 often three or four inches long1 and something like a grasshopper in appearance4 ,when it alights on your table in the evening1 attracted by the lamp1 it behaves in a seemingly ridiculous way4 ,it puts its long front legs together as if praying1 and sways about as it does so in an absurdly affected fashion1 reminiscent of ,thackeray's description of ,charles ,honeyman in the pulpit4 ,,chapter ,,xxix ,,the ,,indian ,,ascetic ,the fakir from ,delhi4 ,mohammedan tombs4 ,a visit to the fakir2 his possessions2 his manner of life2 his temper2 diminishing austerity2 building his shanty2 he settles down4 ,hindu religious community2 their dress2 how they beg2 of both sexes2 the community children2 the ,guru2 opinions of the villagers concerning them4 ,a fakir 7that is to say1 a wandering ,mohammedan ascetic7 from ,delhi took up his quarters by the tomb of a departed fakir1 who is buried by the side of a footpath1 in the field of which the ,mission property at ,yerandawana forms part4 ,there are many such-like tombs1 here and there1 all about ,india4 ,they somewhat resemble rude altar-tombs in appearance1 two or three feet high1 made of brick or stone1 and whitewashed4 ,generally they are under the shade of a tree1 either planted at the time of burial or growing there already4 ,on the anniversary of the day of death faithful ,mohammedans will often cover the tomb with a kind of coarse muslin1 edged with gold or yellow tinsel1 and decorate it with flowers4 ,that these tombs are numerous1 and that they are often found in remote country districts1 is accounted for1 firstly1 by the fact that this kind of asceticism was formerly much more popular than is the case now2 and1 secondly1 that as the fakirs wandered everywhere1 and ultimately died in the course of their wanderings1 each would be buried where he happened to die4 ,the ,mohammedans of the district would then build up the1 not very expensive1 tomb as a tribute to his religious profession1 without much reference perhaps as to the amount of strictness with which he fulfilled his obligations4 ,the tomb at ,yerandawana is in a very exposed situation4 ,the only shelter1 several yards off1 is a barbel1 which is a tree bearing small leaves and covered with thorns1 and hardly affords any shade at all1 so that the fakir was exposed to the scorching rays of the sun all day long4 ,this has not the same malignant effect on an ,indian that it would speedily have upon an ,englishman1 but the former dislikes sitting in the sun in the middle of the day quite as much as he values the genial warmth of its morning rays in the cold weather4 ,after the fakir had lived here a while ,i went to call upon him1 and squatted down beside the tomb4 ,a tall slender bamboo1 which in such cases is usually adorned with a little flag1 marked the spot4 ,he had a small lantern burning at night1 which ,i used to see glimmering when ,i closed the church door after ,compline4 ,his other property consisted of the crutch-stick1 which is the emblem of his profession2 a brass bowl for water2 a piece of sacking and an old blanket for his bed4 ,there was also a large accumulation of ashes from the wood fire on which he prepared his food4 ,when ,i called he was just rekindling his fire1 with the help of a match-box and some splinters of wood which somebody had given him4 ,he was warmly dressed1 considering that it was the middle of the hot weather1 in an old cloth jacket and a coloured dhota1 rather scanty but of thicker material than is usual in our part of ,india4 ,he had long black hair1 which he said had never been cut4 ,he seemed rather proud of it1 and often dressed it with a little comb4 ,it was parted neatly in the middle and fell in locks over his shoulders1 and glistened with oil4 ,he wore moustache and beard1 the former cut very short4 ,in the neatness and cleanliness of his person he was a great contrast to the ,hindus of the same type1 who are called gosavies1 and whose heads are purposely left to nature1 the result of which may easily be imagined4 ,he told me that it had taken him one and a half months from ,delhi1 a distance of nearly a thousand miles1 and that he had travelled all the way on foot1 and that he meant to remain for two months by this tomb1 and then he would go to ,delhi4 ,he had been in all parts of ,india and ,burma1 and had lived this life ever since he was a child4 ,he knew nothing about the particular fakir whose tomb he was honouring1 but it was sufficient that he had been a mendicant like himself4 ,illustration3 ,,dowd ,,pheride1 ,,the ,,egg-,,merchant',s ,,son4 ,an egg-merchant is the only ,mohammedan living in ,yerandawana1 and ,i fancy that the fakir was rather a tax on him1 although a few ,hindus gave him small contributions4 ,i asked him how he lived1 and he said that he ate what people gave him1 and that if they did not give he went without4 ,i asked how he managed in the rainy season4 ,he replied that if people offered him shelter he accepted it1 but that if there were no offers of hospitality he sat in the rain4 ,he said that he had no books and that he could not read4 ,the true fakir1 he added1 has no books2 his mind is his book1 and all that he ought to know about ,god is written there4 ,i asked him whether he considered his life a useful one4 ,he said1 ,yes1 certainly2 ,i pray4 ,for yourself8 ,i asked4 ,no1 for others1 was his reply4 ,i saw he was anxious to get on with his cooking1 and so ,i brought my visit to a close4 ,unfortunately the fakir did not improve the longer he stayed with us4 ,the ,mission children were at first inclined to make game of him4 ,their attitude to the religions to which some of them once belonged is generally one of intense contempt1 and they do not always exercise discretion in their way of expressing their feelings4 ,the so-called ascetics are feared in ,india1 but not respected1 and our children1 no longer fearing them1 are apt to show their scorn4 ,the fakir did not accept with humility the disrespect of the children1 and ,i first became aware that they had been calling after him rudely1 when he turned and faced them with fierce rebukes4 ,but they were not the only people with whom he quarrelled4 ,both on the road1 and at his station by the tomb1 ,i often heard him pouring out torrents of angry eloquence1 sometimes to the rather numerous women who visited him1 bringing him offerings of food4 ,i was not near enough to understand whether he was wroth because the offerings were not to his taste4 ,also1 little luxuries began to gather round him4 ,with the arrival of the rains came an umbrella4 ,a smart new lamp to mark out his encampment at night took the place of the shabby old one4 ,he usually returned from his frequent visits to the ,mohammedan egg-merchant enjoying one of the cheap smokes which ,indians love1 and he began to put up the framework of a shanty as a shelter over himself and the tomb4 ,the materials for the shanty came in but slowly1 so that it was some time before the fakir could be said to have a roof over his head4 ,perhaps the faithful did not altogether approve of the diminishing austerity in the ascetic life4 ,his shed was completed at last1 and he could no longer be said to be quite homeless4 ,but though his new house could not be called luxurious1 his life had lost the edifying element of the complete poverty of his shelterless sojourn by the side of the tomb4 ,nor1 when his time was up1 did he show any inclination to resume his wanderings1 and it seems not unlikely that he will remain in his quarters at the tomb till his turn comes to die1 and then the kindly egg-merchant will erect a whitewashed sepulchre over his remains1 and he will be reckoned among the saints4 ,members of a large and peculiar religious community of ,hindus are often to be met with in the ,bombay ,presidency4 ,their habit resembles the ordinary dress worn by ,hindus1 but a good deal amplified1 and dyed a slate colour4 ,it is a rather successful adaptation of everyday dress to religious purposes4 ,they travel generally in large companies and stay a long time in one spot1 where1 as a rule1 they form a camp of temporary huts4 ,but sometimes they take a house for a while4 ,small detachments from the main body wander round the villages1 lodging in an empty house1 or taking possession of the village rest-house4 ,they remain till the charity of the village is exhausted1 and then they move on4 ,they beg on a large scale4 ,the one pice1 or farthing1 which the ordinary beggar asks for1 does not at all represent their idea of charity4 ,they expect any fairly well-to-do person1 such as a shopkeeper1 to give sufficient food for the whole community for one day1 and they sit in his house till they get it4 ,they do not stand at the door and salaam and cringe1 like the ordinary mendicant4 ,they boldly enter in uninvited and demand alms4 ,they are much disliked on account of the largeness of their wants4 ,but they are also feared on account of the terrible nature of their denunciations if they do not get what they ask for4 ,they profess to be celibates1 but a peculiarity of their constitution is that the community consists of both males and females1 and they camp close to each other4 ,the small detachments who travel round the villages are also mixed companies4 ,there are a large number of children attached to the community1 who are brought up to follow the same life and wear the same slate-coloured habit4 ,so also do the women1 who receive an education1 contrary to the custom so prevalent in ,india1 and are said to spend a good deal of their time teaching the children4 ,their explanation of the presence of children in their midst is that they are orphans1 or that they have been given to them by parents in fulfilment of a vow4 ,one of the small sub-sections of the community took up their quarters in the verandah of a shut-up house in ,yerandawana4 ,passing through the village one evening1 ,i came upon them just as they were about to sit down to their evening meal4 ,i asked a rather pleasant-looking1 middle-aged woman whether the several children that ,i saw playing about went to school4 ,she replied1 ,no4 ,i teach them4 ,a tall1 not very attractive-looking old man came out of the verandah1 and asked who ,i was4 ,when ,i gave him my name1 he said that his name was ,krishna ,padre--the latter being the popular title given in ,india to a clergyman4 ,he was the ,guru1 or religious teacher1 to the community4 ,i said that ,i was the ,christian ,guru of the place4 ,he asked me the usual questions as to what pay ,i got1 and who gave me my food and clothing1 and the meaning of the knots in my girdle4 ,then he asked me if ,i ate meat1 and when ,i said that ,i did1 he took a large pinch of snuff1 saying that ,i was not a true ,guru1 because a true ,guru never eats meat4 ,someone then called him away to supper4 ,i invited him to come and see the church next day1 but the following morning they all moved on to the next village4 ,the ,yerandawana people were thankful to be rid of them1 and assured me that the ,guru's assertion that he never took meat was not true2 as also another of his assertions1 that they never worshipped idols1 because they carried one about with them and the old ,guru worshipped it daily4 ,,chapter ,,xxx ,,the ,,indian ,,widow ,exaggerated statements about widows4 ,easterns naturally demonstrative in their grief4 ,the conservative widow4 ,influential and wealthy widows4 ,remarriage of widows4 ,hindu ,widows' ,home2 its aim and object2 a visit to the ,home2 the daily routine2 impressions made by the visit4 ,the ,true ,light4 ,the future of the widows4 ,custom a hindrance to progress4 ,the effect of caste4 ,the ,indian daughter-in-law2 not necessarily in bondage4 ,a kind-hearted mother-in-law4 ,there has been a good deal of false sentiment expended1 and exaggerated statements made1 concerning the condition of widows in ,india4 ,the condition of a widow is of necessity a trying one in any country4 ,she often has to exchange a position of affluence and importance for one of poverty and obscurity4 ,the ,indian widow is at any rate sure of a home and support from her relations1 which is not always the case with the ,english widow4 ,the stripping of the ornaments1 the shaving of the head1 the shabby garments1 the meagre food1 the hard work1 and the despised position of the ,indian widow has often been described in moving terms4 ,but the ,western widow also lays aside her ornaments during her time of mourning1 and the shaving of the head is a natural ,eastern outward symbol of sorrow4 ,the ,hindu man1 who invariably wears a moustache1 shaves it off when he loses some near relation1 such as a parent or a brother4 ,the plain white garments which the ,indian widow usually wears have nothing of the dreary severity of the garb of the veiled ,english widow1 to whom also scanty food1 hard work1 and humble station often becomes her portion from necessity4 ,easterns are always demonstrative in their expressions of grief4 ,hence the removal of the ornaments1 the cutting off the hair1 etc41 is performed in a demonstrative way4 ,but the ,hindu widow would not wish it otherwise2 and although all the ceremonies may not be exactly congenial to her1 she is at any rate a person of importance even in her humiliation1 and that is a great compensation to her4 ,if she has money--and some ,hindu husbands leave all their wealth to their wives--she will find herself surrounded by affectionate relations1 all of them ready to undertake the management of her property1 and each of them warning her of the necessity of being on her guard not to trust any of the others4 ,at a ,hindu ,widows' ,home1 to be described presently1 the inmates dress as they like1 wear what ornaments they please1 and let their hair grow4 ,someone visiting the ,home was surprised to see a widow with her head shaved1 and wearing the unadorned white garments4 ,on inquiry1 it transpired that this woman refused to avail herself of her freedom1 and that she preferred to bear the outward marks of widowhood out of respect to the memory of her husband4 ,one of the most influential of the residents in ,yerandawana village is a widow1 and she is much looked up to4 ,she is well-dressed1 wears a good deal of gold jewellery1 and her white hair sets off her wrinkled brown face4 ,she was photographed in a group with her grandsons2 and her relations and other villagers not unfrequently call at the ,mission bungalow and ask to see the photograph4 ,the real hardship for the young ,hindu widow is that she cannot marry again4 ,in spite of much talk amongst so-called ,hindu reformers about the advisability of allowing the remarriage of widows1 very little practical progress has been made in this direction4 ,many young girls are thus condemned unwillingly to lead unmarried lives1 their widowhood having often begun in actual childhood4 ,the result of this is1 as might be expected1 in too many cases disastrous4 ,many of the attempts of ,hindus to establish charitable institutions1 such as orphanages1 have been definitely in opposition to ,christian efforts in the same direction1 and they did not deserve to prosper1 and few survive4 ,but there is one institution1 which was founded with a genuine desire to ameliorate the position of young ,hindu widows1 which has not only held its ground1 but has steadily enlarged its sphere of usefulness4 ,illustration3 ,,sarla ,,kalu ,,with ,,her ,,great-,,grandson4 ,this ,hindu ,widows' ,home is out in the country1 two or three miles beyond our own village ,mission4 ,its aim and object1 as expressed in their report1 published in ,english as well as ,marathi1 is as follows3--,to educate young widows from the higher castes that do not allow widow remarriage1 so as to enable them to earn an honourable living and to cultivate their minds4 ,the work1 begun on a small scale several years ago1 has gradually developed4 ,the inmates of the ,home number eighty or more1 and nearly all of these are ,brahmin widows4 ,but even ,brahmins are divided into sections1 and although in the ,home they are all able to eat in the same room1 they sit in different groups according to the section to which they belong4 ,a visit to the ,home is an interesting1 but rather pathetic experience4 ,the buildings are excellently adapted to their purpose2 substantial1 well designed1 and conveniently arranged4 ,extreme neatness and cleanliness1 so rare in ,india1 prevail4 ,the young women study diligently under competent masters1 and they all share in the housework4 ,the daily bath and the washing of their principal garment1 which is part of the necessary routine of a high-caste ,hindu before their chief meal1 takes some time4 ,hindu schools never open till late1 except in the very hot weather1 because these operations1 including their meal1 have to be got through before the real work of the day begins4 ,the widows have only two regular meals1 the one at #aj1 the other at #f4cj4 ,but prosperous ,indians eat largely at one sitting1 so that when people eat only two meals a day1 which is the custom in most ,indian families1 it does not mean that they are put on short commons4 ,they have a large prayer-room at the ,home1 in which they assemble for the reading of ,hindu scriptures and explanations of the same1 and occasionally there is a short discourse4 ,there was no idol in this room at the time of my visit1 but ,i was informed that one would be placed there eventually1 not because it was in any way necessary for their worship1 but because it was customary4 ,the small ,tulsi plant1 the common object of devotion amongst women1 was the only visible indication of idolatry4 ,this plant was growing in one of the courtyards on the sort of ornamental pedestal of brick and plaster which is the usual arrangement4 ,it was allowed in condescension to the prejudices of the minority1 and ,i was assured that it was only the few who made use of it4 ,the high-caste ,hindu woman has a grave and rather melancholy1 lifeless face1 and the inmates of the ,home were largely of this type4 ,but they did not look otherwise than contented1 especially the younger ones4 ,but the impression left upon me1 as ,i left the place and bade farewell to the gifted and evidently most earnest ,indian lady who showed me over the establishment1 was one of intense melancholy4 ,here was the husk without the kernel4 ,consciously1 or unconsciously1 there was much in the ,widows' ,home which was copied from ,christian institutions1 and which never could have sprung out of ,hinduism4 ,if only ,christ1 with all that ,he has to give1 could be received into the ,home1 what light and gladness ,he would bring into the hearts of these poor gropers after truth6 ,it is impossible to guess whether or no this effort may be preparing the way for ,christ in the distant future4 ,at present there is no indication that ,christianity is a subject of either interest or inquiry on the part of any of the inmates1 except for that visit which a few of them paid to our village church4 ,the serious flaw in the project1 from a merely utilitarian point of view1 is that the future of these young women appears rather vague4 ,the demand for female ,hindu teachers in ,india is at present small1 and a few only have found employment in this way4 ,three or four have become nurses or midwives4 ,knitting1 weaving1 and other industrial work has taken practical shape and may lead to something4 ,but1 so far1 only one student has accomplished remarriage1 which is what would make the ,home a real blessing amongst ,hindus4 ,there are now a number of educated men who feel the desirability of an accomplished wife who could share in their interests and intellectual pursuits4 ,the great disparity of age between husband and wife1 almost universal amongst ,hindus1 is beginning to be recognised as an abuse1 although the idea still lingers1 even amongst ,indian ,christians1 that the husband should always be rather the elder of the two4 ,these young widows1 well-educated1 trained1 and disciplined by their busy life in the institution1 would make excellent wives for the educated ,hindus4 ,but the power of custom is so overwhelming in ,india that1 in spite of the obvious advantages to be derived from the arrangement1 the probability is that the remarriage of a ,hindu widow will for a long time continue to be a most unusual event4 ,caste here also1 as well as everywhere else1 is a barrier to progress4 ,i once suggested to a delightful and accomplished young ,hindu1 of good position but not a ,brahmin1 who would have liked an intellectual and companionable wife1 that he should marry one of the widows from the ,home4 ,but he assured me that such a thing was absolutely impossible on account of his caste1 and that not a widow in the ,home would have him1 in spite of all that he had to offer her4 ,there has also been a great deal of exaggeration1 in books about ,indian customs1 concerning the position of the young daughter-in-law1 as if of necessity it must be one of great bondage4 ,the mother-in-law no doubt rules her daughter-in-law from the time she takes up residence in the household1 because she is usually still quite a child and has to be taught her duties1 and especially how to cook4 ,but1 for the most part1 the mother-in-law appears to be very devoted to her daughter-in-law1 and if she sometimes corrects her it is in her anxiety that she should excel in domestic affairs1 so that she may be a good housewife4 ,one of the farmers' wives brought her youngest son's little wife to the village ,mission bungalow to ask us to show her the lad's photograph1 which had been taken some time back4 ,there did not appear to be any restraint or mystery in speaking of her husband1 which we are sometimes told in books is a characteristic of ,hindu matrimonial life4 ,the young wife1 who was a pretty child of about thirteen years1 was pleasantly shy2 but her cheerful mother-in-law showed her the photograph and discussed it1 together with that of another group of villagers1 in which she picked out her own husband1 with much animated talk1 and pleasant smiles and laughter4 ,except for the difference in the setting of the picture it might have stood for a scene in a country parsonage in ,england4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,,wrongdoing ,,in ,,india ,the ,high ,courts4 ,the petty courts4 ,disappearance of the school clock4 ,methods of ,indian police2 indignation of the villagers2 conduct of the police complained of2 an inquiry instituted2 unsatisfactory result4 ,police torture leads to concealment of crime4 ,detection of crime difficult in ,india4 ,thieving4 ,serious moral wrongs4 ,successful concealment4 ,in the ,indian ,high ,courts justice is administered with extreme care1 and sentences are pronounced with a full sense of responsibility and with complete impartiality1 so far as it is possible to come at the truth where a large measure of false evidence is almost sure to have place in every case4 ,indians who have been raised to important judicial positions have shown themselves fully competent to discharge the duties of their office rightly1 and have shown much legal sagacity1 together with the other special qualifications which go to make a good judge4 ,but when you descend to the petty courts1 the state of things is less satisfactory4 ,when everything is in the hands of a lower grade of ,indian officials1 and ,european supervision is necessarily of the slightest1 influence and money and favour and luck have much to do with the chances for or against the prisoner4 ,in the tracking of culprits and the gathering of evidence1 and in all the preparatory work in which police are engaged1 it is to be feared that unlawful methods are still practised1 especially in the more remote country districts4 ,some of the ,european police do not seem to take much trouble to stamp out these abuses4 ,we had an opportunity of seeing something of the ways in which ,indian police try to discover an offender1 after the disappearance one night of the clock from the village ,mission day-school4 ,we informed the ,patel1 or headman1 of our loss1 which was the correct procedure4 ,he1 at leisure1 held a sort of court of inquiry in the verandah of the ,mission bungalow2 but as nothing transpired he1 again at leisure1 reported the matter to the city police1 and two men in plain clothes were sent to make preliminary inquiries4 ,not being able to ascertain anything definite1 they began to put in practise their own methods of extracting evidence4 ,they caned a suspected boy in order to try and get him to confess1 and also one of his companions who they supposed might know something about it4 ,i myself saw the marks of the cane on the boys4 ,the punishment would not have been excessive supposing they had been convicted of the offence4 ,the police were also said to have beaten a labouring man in order to extort a confession1 because there was a rumour that the boys had given the clock to him4 ,the village1 usually friendly and easygoing1 began to get much exercised over these attentions of the police4 ,the ,patel1 a foolish and dissipated young man1 found his liberty seriously curtailed by having frequently to attend the ,city ,police ,court to report progress4 ,the village ,mahars1 or low-caste men1 are liable to be called upon amongst their other duties to serve as village constables4 ,these men were getting tired of having to act as escort to the boys and others1 who were being summoned daily to the court1 often being kept waiting there for the whole day4 ,a large deputation of villagers arrived at the ,mission bungalow to protest1 and my assurances that none of these proceedings arose from any promptings of mine were only partially believed4 ,we were left in peace for a week or so1 and ,i hoped that the matter was at an end4 ,but the police woke up again1 and set upon ,bhau1 the son of the ,mission gardener1 on the ground that he cleaned the school and thus had access to the clock4 ,bhau was not a particularly estimable character1 but having helped to clean the school for many years1 it did not seem likely that he should suddenly have taken it into his head to steal an old clock4 ,but it is a disturbing feature of police inquiries in remote districts1 that they feel that anything is better than to let the crime pass into the category of offences the perpetrators of which have not been discovered4 ,it was now the turn of ,bhau and his relations to appear daily at the city court4 ,for a time no cruelty was perpetrated1 until one afternoon two police appeared in the village and beat ,bhau in the village chowdi1 or place of assembly1 and they ordered him to attend the court again the next day4 ,as soon as ,i heard what had happened1 ,i was naturally as indignant as the villagers1 and went myself to the court with the boy4 ,i was quickly taken to the ,hindu police inspector of the district in which ,yerandawana is situated4 ,in him ,i found a courteous1 ,english-speaking ,brahmin1 who promised to come himself and look into the matter4 ,he did so1 examined ,bhau1 asked various questions1 and promised that the conduct of the police should be investigated4 ,meanwhile ,i had written a letter of complaint to the ,district ,superintendent of ,police1 and two inspectors1 one a ,mohammedan1 the other a ,hindu1 were sent to hold a formal inquiry4 ,one of these men revealed something of their methods1 when engaged in collecting evidence1 by remarking to me that a few slaps would not be of much consequence1 but that anything of the nature of cruelty must not be allowed4 ,it was only in response to my assertion that nothing whatever of the nature of punishment must be used in order to obtain evidence1 that he said1 ,of course not4 ,it must be stopped altogether4 ,the labouring man who was said to have been beaten was called to give evidence4 ,but unfortunately the policeman who was supposed to have done this was sitting outside1 and beckoning to him1 got a word with him before ,i realised what was taking place1 and the man denied that he had been beaten4 ,i was glad to see that the inspectors showed real indignation at this attempt to tamper with a witness4 ,they were both very polite1 and in examining the village boys tried to copy our paternal way of speaking to them1 with rather comical results4 ,when it transpired that one of the boys was an orphan1 the ,mohammedan ,inspector said in ,english1 ,oh dear6 sad1 sad1 as if it was the first case of the kind he had ever met with1 and he recommended the boy to seek refuge in the ,mission orphanage4 ,although they professed to be indignant with the police1 and said that they would be severely punished1 ,i was not altogether surprised at the nature of the report which they ultimately sent to the ,district ,superintendent1 a copy of which was forwarded to me4 ,it was accompanied by a memorandum1 saying that the charges appeared to have been considerably exaggerated1 but that the constable who was reported to have slapped the boys had been transferred to headquarters1 whatever that might mean4 ,that irregular proceedings on the part of the police were only stayed with difficulty by the force of ,english interference and emphatic words and letters1 suggests how hopeless may be the position of any unhappy mortal in out-of-the-way places on whom the police choose to father a charge4 ,many tales are told of the ingenious barbarities still practised in the endeavour to extort confessions from suspected persons1 or unwilling witnesses1 and it is to be feared that these tales are not without foundation4 ,the apparent tendency of some ,english officials to make light of complaints1 does not give much room for hope that the evil system will be quickly eradicated4 ,even supposing that torture was justifiable on the ground that it leads to the detection of crime1 the actual result is probably quite the reverse4 ,it certainly leads to false confessions4 ,people in their fear are tempted to say that they have done a certain thing1 in order to escape from present pain4 ,it has often been urged that confessions made by prisoners to the ,indian police should not be accepted as evidence1 and this is a reform urgently needed4 ,the trouble to which the police subjected our villagers will not deter them from committing offences1 but it has convinced them1 from the ,patel down to the ,mahars1 that if in the future there is any wrongdoing in the village1 anything is preferable to invoking the aid of the police4 ,and that is a serious result1 because in an out-of-the-way village1 if the ,patel takes no action1 almost any crime1 even murder1 could be committed1 and the fact need never be known4 ,it should1 however1 be added that the detection of wrongdoers is beset in ,india with peculiar difficulties4 ,the presence of serious crime in a certain locality may be a sufficiently self-evident fact1 and yet it may be years before it is brought home to its real authors4 ,the ,western rogue often betrays himself by his clumsy efforts to escape4 ,the ,eastern wrongdoer never commits this mistake4 ,while the police are searching for him far and wide1 he is very likely all the time living in their midst4 ,in the smaller sphere of a household or school1 there is a similar difficulty in discovering the real origin of some irregularity4 ,thieving may go on in a certain bungalow2 all kinds of people are suspected1 almost always the wrong ones2 if the police are called in1 they generally lay the guilt on one of the poorer class of servants1 who in sheer fright at being accused1 and with the dread of torture in his mind1 is almost ready to say that he is guilty4 ,innocent servants are sometimes thoughtlessly discharged without character1 only on suspicion4 ,not unfrequently1 even before the excitement has subsided1 fresh thefts occur1 showing that the thief is still at large4 ,and if he is ever found out1 which is not by any means invariably the case1 the chances are that he will prove to be somebody near at hand1 who was supposed to be above suspicion4 ,serious moral wrongs may go on in an ,indian household quite unknown to most of its members1 and so skilfully concealed that they may have existed for years without suspicion4 ,even when the matter has ultimately come to light1 the head of the household is perhaps the last to learn what nearly everybody else knew4 ,many ,indian schoolboys are ready enough to tell tales of each other concerning trifling matters1 and ,indian school authorities unfortunately rather encourage the habit1 and the sneak does not get sent to ,coventry as he ought to be4 ,but when something serious has happened which it is the duty of the boys to report1 it is rare to find amongst them one of sufficient force of character to enable him to do so1 and the unembarrassed denial of any knowledge of the offence adds greatly to the difficulty of detecting the offender4 ,though there are brilliant exceptions1 ,christian principles rarely stand the test of truthfulness when really serious complications have arisen4 ,and the ,indian story-teller so seldom contradicts himself1 and if he finds himself in a corner he gets out of it so readily1 that it is difficult not to believe him1 even when you have the strongest reasons for thinking that he is deceiving you4 ,in a certain boys' school it was known that some evil influence was at work1 but it could not be traced to its root4 ,when elder boys left who were thought to be possibly the cause of the evil1 it was hoped that the trouble would cease4 ,but several generations of boys passed out of the school1 and the evil influence remained4 ,when its source was discovered after some years1 the clue was given by an almost chance remark of a small boy4 ,the person who had so long been a centre of corruption had been so little suspected that1 even after it had been brought home to him1 it was difficult to understand how he had been able to secure concealment so effectually that no shadow of suspicion was ever aroused4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,,property ,,in ,,india ,boundary stones4 ,government ,survey ,department4 ,the village map4 ,how the stones are placed2 how to use them4 ,the ,hindu village clerk4 ,litigation in ,india4 ,lawyers' devices4 ,conversation about money4 ,poverty great4 ,christians and money4 ,english fair-dealing not always apparent4 ,if you want to buy land in ,india1 it is nearly always difficult to find out who is the real owner4 ,but in one important point the ,british ,government has made the transaction quite simple4 ,when you are travelling through ,india in the train1 the impression left upon you is that of a country which belongs to no one in particular1 because there is often so little trace of any boundary between field and field4 ,there are scarcely any hedges or walls1 or when they exist they are so irregular and come to an end so unexpectedly1 that they only add to the impression of vagueness of ownership4 ,but the traveller1 if he is observant of detail1 will have noticed stones sticking up here and there1 bearing some trace of having been shaped with a tool and painted or whitewashed1 and apparently placed in their position for a definite object4 ,sometimes the stones stand alone1 sometimes they are grouped in twos or threes or more4 ,the traveller1 vaguely mindful that the worship of stones is common amongst ,hindus1 concludes that these have been put there for religious purposes4 ,but that is not so4 ,these are only the boundary stones planted by the ,survey ,department of the ,government of ,india1 perhaps one of the best organised and most useful of ,government departments4 ,the whole of ,india has been elaborately surveyed1 and the maps are being continually revised and corrected1 and brought up to date4 ,when making the survey the boundary line of fields and other property was patiently and carefully investigated1 objections and claims listened to1 and an impartial decision arrived at4 ,each village has now its own map taken from the ,survey4 ,not only every field and garden is clearly shown1 but the position of all the boundary stones is marked1 and they are arranged on a system which makes a mistake as to the limit of any property almost an impossibility3 unless1 indeed1 any one removeth his neighbour's landmark2 an offence which is not unknown1 but for which the penalty is heavy4 ,the system is a simple one4 ,a boundary stone is placed at the corner of a field1 or wherever there is an angle1 and the boundary is always drawn in a straight line from stone to stone4 ,if four fields meet at a certain point there may be as many as five stones1 one in the centre and one on each of the four boundary lines a few feet from the centre4 ,the number and position of each stone being marked on the map1 even villagers who cannot read or write are able to identify the different groups of stones by the number in each group1 and the direction in which the additional stones are pointing4 ,for instance1 you want to know the length and precise direction of one side of a plot of land4 ,often there is no indication on the ground itself of any boundary line at all1 especially if it is uncultivated land--neither ditch1 or wall1 or tree1 or any other mark4 ,but you station yourself at the corner1 and from thence look towards the stone1 a few feet off1 on the boundary line you want to fix4 ,now and then your line of vision is made doubly sure by a second stone two or three feet farther on4 ,then1 far away1 but exactly in a line with the stones which indicated your line of vision1 you will catch sight of another boundary stone1 and you know that that is the extent of the plot1 or that at any rate there is an angle at that point4 ,whenever there is any doubt through a stone getting overgrown with vegetation1 or displaced1 the truth is easily got at by going to some other corner and taking the line from there4 ,each field is numbered1 and in the books kept by the village clerk1 or accountant1 the owner of each plot is recorded1 and change of ownership1 or any other matter of importance affecting the property1 is supposed to be noted4 ,the reason why1 in spite of this1 it is often difficult to come at the real owner1 is that most ,indian landowners are in difficulties through expenses incurred in the marriage of their children1 so that their property more often than not is encumbered with mortgages4 ,the average ,hindu village clerk also is not to be depended on1 and as they are dealing with illiterate people1 they have many opportunities of falsifying village records4 ,also1 the inveterate habit of procrastination leads to vagueness in the record1 and transactions take place which are never noted4 ,but there never can be any real doubt as to where each bit of property begins and ends1 and that is a great boon4 ,some of the educated lads of the ,mission have got employment in the ,survey ,department1 and find it an interesting sphere4 ,its only drawback for ,christians is1 that they are liable to be out in camp for months at a time in regions where ,christian privileges are not to be had1 or only at a great distance4 ,disputes concerning the ownership of property lead to a good deal of that constant litigation which is such a curse in ,india1 but which gives employment to innumerable lawyers of various grades4 ,a young ,indian barrister1 who was proposing to go to a certain town to exercise his legal profession1 explained to me why it was likely to be a favourable locality4 ,the people1 he said1 were for the most part well-to-do1 and that always meant a great deal of quarrelling concerning money and land4 ,but they were at the same time very ignorant1 and easily duped4 ,he gave the following instance of the sort of thing which takes place3--,a man comes into the pleader1 or lawyer's office1 for a consultation4 ,the pleader says3 ,now1 what sort of law shall ,i give you8 ,if ,i take it out of this book 7taking up a black volume71 it will cost ten rupees4 ,but if you want to have the best law out of this book 7taking up a red volume71 it will cost twenty rupees4 ,the applicant probably agrees to take the twenty-rupee law out of the red volume1 naturally thinking that the best law is the safest1 even if it costs more4 ,it has been said that if you chance to hear two ,indians talking together1 the word money1 or something relating to it1 will almost invariably be heard4 ,in our crowded rural road1 as villagers go to and fro in pairs or groups1 ,i have often tested the truth of this proverbial saying4 ,it is undoubtedly the case that perhaps in nine cases out of ten they are discussing past or prospective earnings1 or some difficulty or quarrel connected with money matters4 ,but this does not necessarily indicate a love of money in the ,western sense of the expression4 ,the majority of people in ,india are poor4 ,the struggle even for the small sum required for daily bread is often acute4 ,the conditions under which the majority of the poorer class of people have to do their work has been already described4 ,hence the injustice which they have received from their employers2 hardships connected with money earned but not paid1 or only in part2 the ups and downs of the daily struggle for bread2 these naturally form the burning questions of the day1 and they are the natural topics of conversation amongst men and women4 ,the very scarcity of money intensifies the temptation to think too much of it when it has been acquired4 ,it is not uncommon to hear the critic of the ,indian ,christian say that he cares too much for money4 ,on the whole1 it would probably be true to say that he does not err more in this respect than the average ,christian of the ,west4 ,but he happily retains a good deal of natural simplicity of character and does not pretend to be different to what he really is1 so that when he is importunate for a rise of salary he does not think it necessary to beat about the bush1 or to appear to blush4 ,it is sometimes urged that though natives may dislike the often brusque manner of some ,englishmen1 they are more than compensated by getting in exchange ,english honesty and fair dealing4 ,it is to be feared that this boast has its limitations4 ,in a country where it is so difficult to find out what is the proper price of any article1 because the vendor almost habitually asks far more than he expects to get1 the new-comer naturally begins by paying too much4 ,but after he has become aware of this he is apt to go into the opposite extreme1 and he begins to pride himself on his cleverness in making bargains with the natives1 and he often ends by paying too little1 both for what he buys and for work done4 ,there are even mission workers who have got their influence discredited in this way4 ,the strength of his standing as a ,european makes it almost impossible for an ordinary native to get redress1 if he has been wronged in his dealings with an ,englishman4 ,servants often suffer a good deal from petty injustice4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,,east ,,and ,,west ,,travelling ,indian railway travellers4 ,english rudeness2 instances of this4 ,seeing off the ,collector2 his exclusiveness4 ,the white man's ship4 ,courtesy of ,indians4 ,the ,european and ,eurasian compartment4 ,it is when travelling by train that ,east and ,west are most liable to tread on each other's toes4 ,formerly first and second-class carriages were used almost exclusively by ,europeans4 ,of late years the number of ,indians travelling in these classes has greatly increased4 ,this is partly because at one time all passengers were subject to medical inspection1 in order to see whether they were suffering from plague or not1 but those who were not travelling third-class got many exemptions in the process4 ,also the well-to-do ,indian has gradually got into the habit of travelling second-class in order to escape the mixed crowd of the ,indian third-class1 where he may find himself compelled to sit next a low-caste man whose touch may defile him4 ,on the other hand1 they often meet with a great deal of rudeness from certain ,english people1 who resent the intrusion of a native into their carriage4 ,even some men who ought to know better are guilty in this respect4 ,but it should also be remembered that men of very little education or refinement come out to ,india for the sake of the higher pay and position which they can secure in a variety of spheres4 ,some men of this stamp are apt to give themselves great airs1 and they think to show their importance by their rudeness to the people of the country4 ,i once saw a man of this type in a railway carriage shove an ,indian to one side with considerable violence1 and take his seat4 ,the ,indian was a refined gentleman1 much his superior both by birth and education1 and speaking ,english excellently4 ,he was reading a volume of ,mark ,twain for his recreation in the train4 ,although a good deal disturbed by the rudeness which he had received1 he did not lose his temper1 but remonstrated in emphatic but courteous language4 ',i say1 guard1 there is a native in this compartment2 he must go somewhere else4' ,that is the kind of speech which hurts our feelings1 said an ,indian gentleman to me1 who was my companion in the train for two nights and a day4 ,and yet1 he said1 that is the sort of thing ,i am frequently subjected to1 because ,i have to travel a good deal4 ,is it to be wondered at if we don't feel much love towards ,englishmen1 when they treat us in this way8 ,i saw a ,scotch doctor1 engaged on plague inspection duty at a railway station1 kick with savage violence a porter who accidently got in his way on the platform4 ,if you see a little crowd of bowing1 smiling1 well-dressed ,indians at a station1 gathered round a young ,englishman in a sun tope1 who is talking to them affably1 and trying not to look embarrassed by the garland of flowers which they have put round his neck1 you may know that it is probably the ,collector1 or ,commissioner1 of the district1 who is being seen off by some of his constituents4 ,the one or two attendants in blue coats and red turbans1 and sashes with large brass plates upon them1 waiting in the background1 are the messengers1 with which all ,government officials are liberally supplied4 ,the ,collector is the practical ruler of the locality over which he is set to preside1 and situations are constantly arising which demand a great deal of tact and wise judgment4 ,that ,collectors frequently win1 not only the respect1 but also the confidence and regard of the people over whom they have been set1 is an instance of the capacity of the young ,englishman1 who is in earnest1 to rise up to his responsibilities4 ,nevertheless he remains an ,englishman for all that4 ,a ,collector whom ,i knew1 having had his usual send off1 travelled in the next carriage to myself4 ,at a roadside station a ,hindu judge made for the first-class carriage in which the ,collector had established himself4 ,although he had been exceedingly courteous to the ,indian gentry who had seen him off1 he bitterly resented the intrusion of the ,hindu judge4 ,the latter was not to be rebuffed1 and was determined to exercise his right to travel in a carriage in which there was plenty of room4 ,the ,collector accordingly called his servant1 indignantly gathered up his belongings1 and1 having first come to the window of my carriage to tell me of his troubles1 took refuge in some other part of the train4 ,well1 this is a pretty state of things1 when you find a native in a cabin6 said a young military officer to me1 when he saw an ,indian go into the adjoining cabin on board ship4 ,if he has paid for his berth1 he has a right to it1 ,i said2 besides1 he is not in your cabin4 ,well ,i did think that a ,p4 ,o4 was a white man's ship1 replied the young officer with great bitterness4 ,no doubt you missionaries have learnt to get over the prejudice1 said a delightful young army captain to me on board the same ship1 and ,i suppose it is very wrong of me2 but ,i positively hate a black man4 ,though there are certain drawbacks connected with some native passengers1 they are much more courteous than the average ,englishman is1 even to his own countrymen4 ,the stranger1 who at some wayside station1 intrudes into a carriage already sufficiently full1 does not expect to be welcomed4 ,at night the large clerical sun hat meets with a specially cold reception from the ,englishman1 who peeps out at the intruder from beneath his blankets4 ,but the ,indian traveller will assure you that there is plenty of room4 ,he will cheerfully help you with your luggage1 clearing away his own belongings in order to make space for yours2 and on one occasion an ,indian insisted on my taking his berth1 while he himself sat up on a corner of a seat for the rest of the night4 ,however good the intentions of kindly ,englishmen may be when travelling1 it is almost impossible to avoid the appearance of acquiescing in arrangements which are trying to the ,indian4 ,on most lines there are third-class compartments reserved for ,europeans and ,eurasians4 ,the arrangement is not merely to protect the ,englishman from the intrusion of native fellow-passengers4 ,the ,hindu is at least equally unwilling to have the white man as an intruder in his own part of the train1 and it is generally understood that just as the native must not trespass into the ,european compartments1 so on his part the ,englishman should keep out of the carriages allotted to ,indians4 ,not being able to find the usual ,european compartment on a certain train1 ,i asked the young ,eurasian ticket-collector whereabouts it was4 ,there is not one on the train1 he said1 but ,i will soon make one4 ,and going to one of the native compartments1 already fairly filled with people1 he said rudely and roughly3 ,here1 ,i say1 you have all got to clear out of that4 ,the ,eurasian is inclined to imitate what he thinks to be correct ,english style1 by talking in a blustering way to those whom he contemptuously styles natives4 ,the ,indians1 slowly and unwillingly1 but silently1 transferred themselves and their many belongings to another carriage1 and then they saw three members of the ruling race take their places in a carriage seated for twenty-eight4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,,customs ,,of ,,east ,,and ,,west ,the up-to-date ,hindu traveller2 his outfit4 ,habits of ,east and ,west so different4 ,the ,english toothbrush4 ,the ,indian's toilet2 its publicity4 ,women's dress4 ,taking food with the fingers2 defence of the custom2 the touch of the meat-eater4 ,servants of ,europeans4 ,english hospitality restricted by caste4 ,the ,rajah's dinner-party4 ,instance of mutual misunderstanding4 ,regrettable results of rudeness4 ,the true religion unites4 ,in spite of the fact that ,east and ,west do not always hit it off happily together when travelling1 it is then1 more than at any other time1 that the up-to-date ,hindu tries to follow ,european customs4 ,his bedding1 his pillows1 his rug-straps1 his tin travelling trunk1 are all modelled on ,english lines2 although excess of colour and ornamentation indicate ,indian taste1 and the articles themselves partake either of the flimsy nature of most ,indian modern productions1 or else they are cheap goods from ,europe made expressly for the foreign market4 ,he is nicely dressed in ,european clothes1 but he wears a turban which he takes off and puts up on the rack1 just as the ,englishman does with his sun tope1 displaying either a pigtail of varying dimensions1 or else hair cut in ,english fashion1 and the pigtail so reduced that it is invisible4 ,he has a watch which he often consults1 and he is interested in the punctuality or otherwise of the train1 and will perhaps verify this by frequent reference to his time-table4 ,possibly he will amuse himself by reading an ,english magazine or novel from the bookstall4 ,yet1 in spite of this outward conformity to the ,english model1 he is still as completely an ,indian1 and as little of an ,englishman1 as when he wore his dhota1 or even when he thought his loin-cloth sufficient clothing4 ,the result of this is that1 except where the crowded state of the train makes it impossible1 the ,englishman and the ,indian as a rule naturally gravitate into different compartments1 not from mutual antipathy1 but because the habits of the two nations are so different that travelling together makes practical difficulties4 ,the nature of some of these mutual difficulties may be indicated4 ,indians are extremely particular about cleaning their teeth4 ,but the ,english custom of using a toothbrush1 which is only renewed after a period of uncertain duration1 is looked upon by the ,indian as a most objectionable practice4 ,to retain1 and to carry about with you in your bag an instrument which has been used for such a purpose1 he feels to be an indication of great want of refinement4 ,his own toothbrush is the first finger of his right hand1 sometimes supplemented by a small twig taken from a certain tree1 which twig he throws away after the operation4 ,the process is carried out with immense energy1 and it is accompanied by alarming guttural sounds4 ,the manipulator has with him a brass vessel1 from which he takes deep draughts of water1 which he squirts out again with great force4 ,he generally chooses a public place for this toilet operation1 such as the front doorstep of his house in a crowded street4 ,the extraordinary publicity given to many domestic matters1 with which we are accustomed to associate the idea of privacy1 tries the feelings of the ,englishman just as much as the sensibilities of the ,indian are shocked by the permanent toothbrush4 ,to the new-comer from ,england the dress of the average ,indian woman looks rather scanty4 ,but1 on the other hand1 the skirts of ,english ladies1 sometimes trailing behind them1 and possibly gathering up unknown defilements1 awaken in the ,indian feelings of disgust4 ,no ,hindu1 of whatever rank1 would ever think of taking food in his own country except with his fingers4 ,in serving rice and other food to guests at a feast1 the hand is always the agent used for the purpose4 ,indian ,christians1 except the few who have become completely ,europeanised1 rarely take their food in any other way4 ,the arguments used by an ,indian in defence of the custom were reasonable4 ,we always wash1 he said1 before we eat1 so we know that everybody's hand is clean4 ,and after the meal1 before we go to other duties1 we wash our hands again4 ,you1 on the contrary1 he went on to say1 eat with spoons and forks which have been in the mouths of hundreds of different people4 ,you leave them to be cleaned by servants who often do the work carelessly1 and who are perhaps dirty themselves4 ,using fingers habitually1 instead of spoons and forks1 is popularly looked upon as indicative of rudimentary civilisation4 ,but it should be added that those who have always been accustomed to eat with their fingers do so with dexterity and neatness4 ,and no one who has seen ,indians at their meals would be disposed to say that this method of eating suggests the idea of lack of refinement4 ,but to eat rice elegantly with the fingers needs that your ,indian social education should have begun in early childhood4 ,the ,hindu's objection to having his food or water touched by ,christians or people of low-caste arose1 not so much from any notion of inferiority of station1 but chiefly from the nature of the food of these classes4 ,it was the touch of the meat-eater1 in the days when the ,hindu was more strict in his observances than he is now1 which brought pollution4 ,contact with ,christians was obnoxious because they eat all kinds of meat1 including the sacred cow4 ,low-caste ,hindus were much to be avoided1 because they even eat animals which have died from natural causes4 ,the ,hindu servants of most ,europeans are chiefly drawn from the ranks of this class1 because they are the only ,hindus who are willing to handle dishes containing the uncanny food of the ,englishman4 ,nowadays meat is eaten more or less frequently1 either openly or in secret1 by nearly all classes4 ,but to the orthodox ,hindu it is a matter of wonder that we allow people of what he considers a degraded class to minister to our wants4 ,the native women who act as ladies' maids and nurses1 and who are said to be handy and adept1 are mostly drawn from the same class1 and many ,indians are puzzled that an ,englishman should be willing that his wife and children should be ministered to by these women4 ,governors and other important ,government officials make formal calls on leading ,hindus in native cities1 and stay for ten minutes or so talking polite platitudes1 and the ,hindu in return puts in an appearance at the ,governor's levee4 ,but this1 though good as far as it goes1 does not do much towards bringing about real mutual understanding4 ,the caste restrictions1 which make it impossible for an orthodox ,hindu to take food with a ,christian1 add greatly to the difficulty4 ,a dinner-party in which ,english and ,indians were judiciously intermixed1 if it were possible1 would do much towards bridging over the gulf4 ,when ,indian ,rajahs entertain ,english guests1 which they do in ,english style on a most lavish scale and with truly princely hospitality1 the host himself cannot share in the meal1 and only puts in an appearance at the end of the banquet to take part in the speech-making4 ,here is a curious instance of a complete misunderstanding1 arising entirely from the different customs of ,east and ,west4 ,a ,brahmin student told me1 as an example of the intolerance of the ,british1 that a young ,indian friend of his in ,london had been requested by an ,english family to leave the house because he had bare feet4 ,i asked for particulars1 and the ,brahmin said that the young ,indian1 having a letter of introduction to this family1 went to present it4 ,as the day was very hot1 while he was waiting in the drawing-room he took off his shoes and stockings4 ,in his own country this would have been a perfectly natural thing to do4 ,in fact1 in his own home ordinary politeness would have made him leave his shoes at the door4 ,the maidservant who had ushered him in1 returning for some purpose1 was amazed to see what the visitor had done1 and went and reported the fact to her mistress4 ,she1 probably thinking that they had either a madman or a would-be thief to deal with1 sent to request him to leave the house1 which he did indignantly1 and wrote to his friends in ,india to tell them how he had been insulted by the proud ,english4 ,the rudeness of the thoughtless or ill-bred ,englishman is very regrettable1 because it is productive of that feeling of soreness which lies at the bottom of a great deal of the smouldering discontent which1 from time to time1 makes itself apparent amongst the upper classes in ,india4 ,and some of the younger ,indian men try to retaliate as far as they dare1 by being in their turn off-hand and cheeky4 ,there are indications that the same sort of spirit is spreading to some of the lower classes1 which might easily become a source of serious danger4 ,anyhow it tends to make the process of amalgamation between the two races increasingly difficult and slow4 ,there is a great charm about many ,indians1 and by those who set themselves in earnest to understand them and to cultivate their friendship1 a great deal of happy progress can be made4 ,but it must always be remembered that there cannot be complete unity of heart without the true religion1 and it is only by their mutual incorporation into the household of ,god that ,indians and ,englishmen will become one nation4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,servants ,,in ,,india ,government officials and missions4 ,the honest native ,christian4 ,christian servants4 ,housekeeping in ,india4 ,the heathen butler4 ,the ,dasara festival4 ,countenance of ,hinduism4 ,the visitors to ,parbatti4 ,the festival of the cattle4 ,s4 ,anthony's ,day4 ,there are a few ,government officials in ,india who are not disposed to smile on missionary enterprise1 or on those engaged in it4 ,they think that natives had better be left to themselves1 so far as religion is concerned1 and that the efforts of the missionary are a disturbing element2 and his reasonable complaints to officials of this type about ordinary matters1 such as the state of the roads in his district1 or the supply of water1 often meet with slight recognition1 or none at all4 ,how far this attitude on the part of the official may be due to the faults1 or want of tact of the missionary1 ,i cannot say4 ,want of appreciation of what missions are doing for the people of a country often arises merely from lack of knowledge1 and most ,government officials show generous recognition of the work1 and give it their kindly aid1 when they come into real contact with it and its results4 ,it was a pleasant relief from the stereotyped board-ship saying1 that all native ,christians are rascals1 to hear the following from one of the engineers of the great irrigation system of the ,panjab4 ,in the course of ordinary conversation he happened to say that1 in all his experiences1 he had only met with one really honest native1 and that he was a ,christian4 ,in fact1 he went on to say1 the other men led him such a life1 just because he was honest1 that ,i had to transfer him to a new district4 ,this testimony was the more significant1 because there is no sphere in which there are greater opportunities of exacting unlawful commission than in the department which deals with the distribution of water4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,indian ,,butler4 ,the common criticism of the casual ,englishman1 when he is talking about missions1 that a ,hindu servant is better than a ,christian one1 has an element of truth in it4 ,that is to say1 the ,christian servant will not be so submissive as the heathen one4 ,his ,christianity has developed his grit1 and he will be less willing to put up with injustice1 or violent language1 or the habit1 once common but now almost universally reprobated1 of cutting his pay as a punishment for offences real or imaginary4 ,he will not be quite so ready to be on duty for unlimited periods at his master's pleasure1 and he will expect to be allowed time to go to church4 ,some of these new characteristics may be of the nature of defects1 but they also mean that he is more of a man than he was in his heathen days4 ,and as regards honesty and general trustworthiness1 although every ,indian ,christian is not altogether impeccable1 he is on a completely different plane to his heathen comrade4 ,it is also an unspeakable relief1 to anyone whose ,christianity is something more than form1 to have ,christian servants round about you4 ,housekeeping in ,india is either difficult or very easy1 according to the view that is taken of the moral responsibility of a householder4 ,if you feel it a duty1 or if poverty compels you1 to endeavour not to allow yourself to be cheated1 the process of housekeeping will become a contest between you and your heathen servants in which1 in spite of your vigilance1 you will be continually worsted4 ,if1 on the other hand1 you are reconciled not to worry much about prices1 and if you do not grudge the traditional gifts of certain seasons1 you can obtain what is probably the most efficient and devoted service in the world4 ,your head-servant will take the entire responsibility of your establishment4 ,when he has learnt what your wishes are1 he will see that his underlings carry them out to the letter4 ,meals will be admirably served1 and you will be waited on noiselessly and graciously4 ,your own unpunctuality1 your unreasonableness1 the sudden arrival of unexpected guests1 none of these things will disturb the admirable serenity of your ,hindu or ,mohammedan ,indian butler4 ,and whatever the emergency1 you will find him equal to the occasion4 ,but in return for this1 you must not grumble because at every turn1 and in every transaction1 he is privately supplementing his official income4 ,those who employ ,christian servants would do well to remember that they ought to take care to pay them somewhat in excess of the small wages which will satisfy a ,hindu4 ,otherwise they will find it difficult to live1 and may be tempted to practise the same methods by which the heathen servant probably doubles his receipts4 ,there is a popular ,hindu festival called the ,dasara1 and this is one of the days when stable-servants expect to be tipped1 unless they know that their master disapproves of ,hindu ceremonies4 ,on that day horses are decorated and garlanded1 and the grooms bring them round to the front verandah of the bungalow in order to obtain the expected recognition4 ,care needs to be taken to see that1 in the desire to be kind1 a sort of tacit countenance of ,hinduism is not involved4 ,english visitors to ,india unthinkingly are sometimes remiss in this respect4 ,there is a hill just outside ,poona ,city called ,parbatti4 ,it is a well-known centre of idol worship1 and for this reason many visitors climb up it out of curiosity1 but also to see the view4 ,one of the custodians of the temples1 after showing an ,english priest the idols1 etc41 asked for a contribution towards the support of the temple1 as he expressed it4 ,and in spite of the terms in which the request was couched1 the priest gave an offering1 to the astonishment of his better instructed lay companion4 ,hindus have a festal day for their cattle1 called ,bile polar1 on which they give them extra food2 their horns are coloured and decorated with gold paper and long tassels made of the fibrous roots of a shrub1 and a variety of devices are imprinted on their bodies in red paint1 generally circles or the outstretched hand4 ,the biggest bull of the chief man of the village sometimes wears a sort of crown1 or some farmer who is well-to-do drapes his best cattle in ornamental cloths1 reaching nearly to the ground on each side4 ,the people also set up clay models of cattle in their houses at this season1 to which they do reverence4 ,when the cattle have been decorated they are driven1 with shouting and noise1 up to a temple2 and the fact that it is their festal day does not save them from the whacks which the boys bestow upon them freely in order to hurry them on4 ,some of their owners go into the temple and worship the god1 and soon afterwards the cattle are driven back with the same demonstrations to their respective homes4 ,it used to be the custom 7and perhaps may be still7 for horses to be driven past the ,pope on the ,feast of ,s4 ,anthony 7the patron saint of animals71 and he blessed them as they went by4 ,it is good that the creatures who do us faithful service should be gratefully remembered4 ,the ,hindu festival of the animals might possibly be ,christianised4 ,their generous rations and their gay decorations1 with the exception of the paint marks on their bodies1 are customs which might be retained1 and they might be brought in joyful procession to the church door on ,s4 ,anthony's ,day to be blessed by the parish priest4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,the ,,educated ,,hindu ,education divorced from religion4 ,its effects on character2 instance of this in ,babaji4 ,wealth will not purchase social position4 ,the new bungalow4 ,quarrels with the contractor4 ,indians nervous about thieves4 ,night raids4 ,robberies amongst plague refugees4 ,skilful thieves4 ,babaji's inconsistency2 removing his neighbour's landmark4 ,the future of the bungalow4 ,airy houses unpopular4 ,preference for apparent discomfort4 ,there are many opportunities in ,india of studying the effect on character of education when divorced from religion4 ,the effect on a few has been that the cultivation of their mental gifts in secular study has helped them to understand and assimilate ,christian truth4 ,others1 with a natural propensity for evil1 have had their capacities for mischief quickened by the varied knowledge which they acquired4 ,but with the vast majority of ,indians1 and more especially ,hindus1 ,english secular education does not alter their character1 and except for the assumption of a few ,european externals1 they remain exactly the same as they were before4 ,even many of those who go to ,england1 if they do not take up some definite profession on their return1 drop back so entirely into their former manner of life that you would hardly suppose it credible that they had ever been out of their own country4 ,if you live amongst the people you will frequently meet with examples of this kind of thing4 ,and it should be observed that it is generally in a man's ordinary everyday life that his real nature comes out4 ,here is an illustration3--,a ,hindu1 who was by caste a brass-worker1 had been for some years in the important position of assistant collector4 ,his father having been a good ,english scholar and a great reader of books1 both in that language and in ,marathi1 had given his son an education which enabled him to rise to the responsible post which he ultimately filled4 ,he1 in his turn1 educated his sons carefully1 and they knew ,english well4 ,the family possessed houses and land1 so that1 together with the father's official income1 they were well off4 ,but in ,india wealth will not purchase social position1 as it does to some degree in the ,west4 ,money is not powerful enough to override caste4 ,the members of this family1 whom we will call ,babaji1 did their best to pose as high-caste people1 and were ready to dispense lavish hospitality if it would have been accepted2 but ,brahmins ignored them1 and they never seemed to associate on equal terms with anyone except members of their own caste1 or those below it4 ,when the father of the family retired on his pension1 he returned to his own district and prepared to settle down4 ,besides a house in the city1 they had a sufficiently habitable one in a large garden in a village in the ,poona district4 ,but the old grandfather had died in this country house1 and was said to haunt it4 ,servants refused to stay there1 and none of the family would live there4 ,so they pulled it down and prepared to build a new house in another garden4 ,i had an opportunity of watching the whole progress of this project1 and it gave me a good deal of insight into the character that ,hinduism creates4 ,babaji having seen something of ,english ways during his term of office as collector1 prepared to build the sort of house which would suit an ,englishman4 ,it was conveniently planned1 and had many doors and windows and large verandahs4 ,he also employed a contractor of some repute4 ,the house was quickly built1 and would have been an excellent one in all respects but for certain economies which ,babaji insisted on1 to the great indignation of the contractor4 ,he bought a set of old doors and windows from a house in ,bombay which was being pulled down1 and had them adapted to his new bungalow4 ,and having been accustomed to deal with petty contractors1 with whom it is customary to carry on a perpetual war of words1 he tried the same plan with his present builder1 and whenever he came to inspect1 railed at him for faulty work and bad materials4 ,i asked him why he did this1 when there was nothing to justify his complaints4 ,he said that it was the only way of keeping men up to their work4 ,there is also an underlying idea that if the cry of faulty construction is uttered with sufficient persistency1 it will give an excuse for cutting down the final bill4 ,babaji made an effort in this direction also1 but the contractor said that unless he got his money he should take the matter into court1 and refused to have anything more to do with the job4 ,after much fierce wrangling1 the latter came triumphantly one day to show me the cheque which ,babaji had just written for him4 ,so ,babaji was left to finish off his bungalow in his own way1 and ,i think that on the whole he was rather glad1 because he could now do things more in accordance with his own ideas4 ,the ,english type of bungalow is not really suited to ,indian taste4 ,a dark1 windowless house with an earthen floor is where the ordinary ,indian feels most at home4 ,the first thing that ,babaji did when left to himself was to put iron bars to the windows to keep out thieves1 and to close in the fronts of his verandahs in the same way1 so that they looked like cages in the ,zoological ,gardens4 ,most ,indians live in constant dread of nocturnal thieves1 and their fear is not entirely without justification4 ,in years gone by the raids made by robbers in villages were sufficiently alarming4 ,these depredators went to great lengths in their efforts to induce women to declare where their gold and silver ornaments were hidden4 ,the threat to cut off their nose was not an empty one1 if we can trust the statement that in those days the sight of a woman thus disfigured was not uncommon4 ,more efficient police supervision has done much to prevent these organised raids1 although they are still not unknown4 ,but ordinary night thieves are apt to come along wherever they think there is plunder1 and this type of ,indian thief is as skilful in reality as he is proverbially said to be4 ,the habit of hiding money1 instead of investing it usefully1 or the common custom of turning it into ornaments for women1 makes the visit of a thief to the house of a well-to-do ,indian likely to be lucrative4 ,when people moved out from the city because of plague and camped in the surrounding villages1 they were much troubled by thieves4 ,the refugees were afraid to leave their valuables in their shut-up homes in the city1 lest the house should be raided in their absence2 and yet1 lodging in tents and frail huts1 it was very difficult to circumvent the robbers4 ,many people camped as close as they could get to the ,mission settlement at ,yerandawana1 under the idea that thieves avoid the neighbourhood of ,europeans4 ,nevertheless an extraordinarily clever robbery took place in a hut exactly opposite the ,mission gateway4 ,this hut was built of split bamboos tied to a wooden framework and then plastered with mud4 ,a house of this kind1 carefully put together1 affords good shelter1 and when the mud peels off it can easily be repaired4 ,a widow with her sister and little daughter lived in this shelter during plague time4 ,their fortunes were invested in the precarious form of personal jewellery4 ,at night these ornaments were put into two boxes1 which they placed under the cot on which one of the women slept1 in order1 as they thought1 to be quite secure against thieves4 ,in spite of this precaution they woke up one morning to find their treasure gone4 ,thieves had dug under the walls of the house and had made an opening large enough to creep through4 ,how they were able to do this without waking the inmates1 and how they took the boxes from under the bed and got away with them unobserved1 a light having been kept burning in the room1 is one of the mysteries of ,indian crime4 ,the boxes were found1 broken open and empty1 a few fields off1 but the thieves were never detected4 ,i myself saw the burrow through which they got in4 ,babaji had built his new bungalow immediately behind two dilapidated cottages1 in which he had sometimes lodged during brief visits to the country4 ,everyone took for granted that he would pull down these cottages when the new house was ready4 ,they abutted on to the front verandah1 and occupied the ground which would naturally form the approach to the house4 ,but when ,babaji1 with pardonable pride1 was showing me round the completed house1 he told me that he had decided to retain the two cottages2 they would be useful as cookroom and storeroom2 besides1 they had been built by his father1 and so out of respect to his memory he would wait till they fell down of themselves4 ,i represented to him what a barbaric arrangement it was1 but without effect1 and next day he was busy making a passage-way from the new bungalow into one of the old cottages4 ,his next exploit was to try and acquire a strip of land by removing his neighbour's landmark4 ,babaji wanted to build stables and other out-buildings4 ,in digging his foundations he purposely encroached about four feet over his boundary line4 ,when the owner remonstrated he endeavoured by bluster to carry the thing through4 ,he pointed to a bogus boundary stone of his own planting1 and called in the village clerk to certify that there was an error in the village map1 and that the real boundary line was as ,babaji represented it to be2 the average ,hindu village clerk being ready to certify anything you like1 if you make it worth his while to do so4 ,the owner of the land seated himself on the disputed plot and defied the workmen to continue their operations4 ,the dispute continued for some days1 waxing more and more furious1 until the owner and the contractor at last came to blows--a form of demonstration which in ,india is impressive in appearance1 but the amount of damage done is infinitesimal4 ,i was then asked to act as arbitrator in the case4 ,i declined2 but ,i told ,babaji that he was totally in the wrong4 ,finally1 after all this waste of time and temper1 he gave up the struggle and withdrew his forces to within the proper limit4 ,that a man of education1 who had himself been a magistrate1 should have made this attempt to filch a strip of land off his neighbour might seem unaccountable4 ,but his natural ,indian characteristics1 when circumstances prompted it1 came uppermost1 and his ,english training for the time being went to the wall4 ,the new bungalow proved after all to be a white elephant4 ,the water-supply was limited1 and without plenty of water ,babaji said he could not live there4 ,his servants1 who were city people1 said that if he went to live in the country they would not go with him4 ,so the bungalow awaits the day1 which we sometimes dream of1 when it may fall into our hands and become a convalescent home for ,indians1 which is a great need1 and for which it is admirably adapted4 ,houses built by ,english missionaries for ,indian mission workers are1 as a rule1 not at all the kind of abode which the tenants really like4 ,a row of cottages1 built some years ago in ,poona ,city for ,indian ,christians1 has never been popular2 chiefly because1 besides many doors and windows1 there are ventilators in the roof which cannot be closed4 ,in more than one mission school some of the doors and windows have had to be permanently bricked up1 because both teachers and children complained so much of the cold4 ,visions of tidy cottages for ,indian ,christians gradually get dispelled4 ,here and there a home-like dwelling is to be found1 but they are scarce4 ,a young married girl1 who had been brought up in refined surroundings and had an unusually comfortable home when first married1 had to live for a time in the open sheds and apparent discomfort of a plague camp4 ,instead of disliking it she settled in with great contentment1 cooked her own dinner in the open1 and was evidently more at home than in her well-built house4 ,this also1 as time went on1 gradually lost its original look of comfort4 ,hens1 and goats1 and cow-dung cakes1 and rubbish of all sorts by degrees got the upper hand1 and proportionate to the increase of apparent discomfort was the increase of contentment in the minds of the young couple who lived there4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,unfinished ,,plans ,,in ,,india ,houses begun and never completed4 ,the projected laundry4 ,abandoned wells4 ,shunker sinks a well2 he gets tired of it2 failure of his second well2 begins again at his first well2 destructive blasting operations2 finally gives up the plan4 ,the marks left of projects begun but never finished is a common and discouraging sight in ,india4 ,there is scarcely a village which does not bear evidence of this4 ,a man prepares to build a new house4 ,you are astonished at the large blocks of stone1 neatly cut and well laid1 with which he commences4 ,if you ask him about it1 he will tell you of the beautiful superstructure which is to come on the top of the plinth which he is now building4 ,but after a while the work begins to slacken2 the men employed gradually diminish in number4 ,you ask the cause1 and various reasons will be assigned--scarcity of stone1 lack of water1 and the like4 ,finally the work ceases1 probably never to be resumed4 ,the owner has got tired of the project1 or1 not having counted the cost1 the treasury has run dry4 ,sometimes after a long delay1 he will build a miserable mud-house on the top of his handsome stone plinth4 ,but in innumerable villages you will find examples of unfinished houses which have remained in that condition for generations4 ,in ,poona ,city there are conspicuous instances of the same thing4 ,nearly all the better-class native houses are very substantially framed in wood1 the spaces within the frames being filled in with bricks1 set in either mud or mortar1 according to the quality of the house4 ,the framework of a two-or three-storied house is often completed1 sometimes including the roof and tiling1 before the brickwork has been commenced4 ,in different parts of the city may be seen the framework of large and handsome houses which have never advanced beyond that stage1 and have remained for years melancholy-looking skeletons4 ,hindus often have projects which are purely castles in the air1 and it is difficult to know whether the projector is deceiving himself1 or whether it is merely in the spirit of boastfulness1 that he speaks of the great things that he is going to do4 ,a middle-aged ,brahmin called at the ,yerandawana ,mission bungalow and said that he was going to start a laundry on a large scale in the village4 ,it was to be thoroughly up to date4 ,he was going to get the most modern machinery from ,america4 ,he would only accept as customers those who sent to the wash at least a dozen articles a week4 ,the two or three-article man he should refuse4 ,he had called1 he said1 to solicit the custom of the ,boys' ,home4 ,we were able to give him1 readily enough1 a qualified promise of support1 and from that day to this we have heard no more of the modern laundry4 ,there is no more valuable asset in rural ,india than a good well4 ,hence many landowners begin to sink one4 ,but with the propensity to begin and not to finish1 there are multitudes of unfinished1 and therefore useless1 wells4 ,there is a wide stretch of land between the ,mission field at ,yerandawana and the low range of hills on which the boys are so fond of rambling4 ,it is only water which is wanted to make this tract productive4 ,dependent as it now is on the uncertain rainfall of the monsoon1 an occasional and ragged crop1 which often never comes into ear1 is all that it ever produces4 ,more often than not the farmers who own the property do not think it worth the labour and expense of cultivation4 ,two attempts have been made to sink wells1 and both have been abandoned for years4 ,in the case of one of these wells at least1 water had actually been reached1 and if they had gone down a little deeper there was every probability of an adequate supply4 ,but abandoned schemes are hardly ever taken up again1 and these two wells will remain unfinished to the end of time4 ,a near neighbour1 whom we will call ,shunker1 determined to sink a well4 ,he discoursed to me at great length on the advantage of being independent of the canal water for the irrigation of his land4 ,he also described the powerful pump1 worked by a windmill1 which would supersede the old-fashioned method of raising water by means of bullocks4 ,the sinking of the well commenced with great energy4 ,shunker remained on the spot the whole day in order to see that the men did not idle4 ,friends and neighbours came and sat around and advised1 and speculated how soon they would reach water4 ,shunker was confident that a depth of #ae feet would be sufficient4 ,the ground1 however1 was very hard1 and the men soon reached solid rock and blasting became necessary4 ,shunker was full of importance over this1 and before an explosion took place rushed up and down the road in great excitement1 warning travellers to halt4 ,his interest in the well continued until the commencement of the rainy season obliged him to knock off for a while4 ,but when the time came to resume operations ,shunker's zeal had begun to flag4 ,the well was already #ae feet deep and there was no sign of water1 except that which had fallen during the monsoon4 ,shunker was growing uneasy at the amount of money which he had spent4 ,work was resumed1 but only languidly4 ,then there came gaps of several weeks when no work was done at all1 and finally it stopped altogether1 and the scheme was apparently abandoned4 ,shunker1 not knowing what to do with the piles of stone which had accumulated from his excavation1 erected an immense shed with it in his yard1 which he said would give shelter to his bullocks4 ,but it was piled up unskilfully1 and being without mortar1 it soon became a ruin4 ,indians do not always profit by experience4 ,it might be supposed that ,shunker would hardly care to risk further experiments concerning wells4 ,but following the advice of his father1 an apparently shrewd man1 he sunk another well in another garden4 ,this time a ,european firm took the contract1 and the cost was heavy4 ,the spot chosen necessitated an unusually high platform for the bullocks who raise the water1 which added a good deal to the expense4 ,but a fatal mistake was made in the spot chosen for the well4 ,it was sunk close to the bank of a river whose bed was many feet below it1 and though they tapped a spring which would probably have provided a good store of water1 it soon found its way out of the well to the lower level of the river1 and the amount of water which remained was never deep enough to be of use4 ,so this rather imposing-looking empty well stands as a conspicuous monument of an ill-advised scheme1 involving total loss of the money that it cost4 ,somehow the failure of this second well stimulated ,shunker1 contrary to expectations1 to recommence work at his first well1 and in order that the job should be done thoroughly1 he enlisted the aid of the sappers and miners to conduct the blasting operations4 ,the result was that the ,mission compound adjoining became like ,lady-smith during the siege4 ,the explosions were terrific1 and stones1 some of large size1 fell in all parts of the compound4 ,a bit of rock fell on the stable1 smashing a dozen tiles4 ,another stone travelled an immense distance1 and falling on the ,sisters' bungalow1 broke three of the large ,mangalore tiles1 so famous in ,india for their rainproof qualities1 but proving themselves unequal to the resistance of bombs4 ,urgent remonstrances were for a time unavailing4 ,shunker called1 and in polite ,english expressed his great sorrow that his operations should have caused us annoyance4 ,but the siege continued with unabated vigour4 ,at last the actual bit of rock which contained the charge rose out of the well to a great height at the time of the explosion1 and then half buried itself in the ground immediately behind the schoolmaster's house4 ,if it had chanced to fall on anybody it would have killed him on the spot4 ,the display of this piece of rock had the desired effect1 and the sappers and miners were withdrawn4 ,the work was continued in more homely fashion with ordinary blasting powder4 ,with this the process is slower1 but it is effective1 and does not devastate the surrounding neighbourhood4 ,none1 however1 of ,shunker's efforts to procure water prospered1 in spite of his persevering attempts1 which he carried to the extent of rashness4 ,he went on sinking his well until he had reached a great depth1 but there were no more signs of water at the end than there were at the beginning1 and he finally abandoned the search4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,gifts ,,in ,,india ,the purchase of land4 ,a plot for a cemetery2 the ,patel gives one4 ,the ,registrar's ,court4 ,the gift in jeopardy4 ,deed successfully executed4 ,the ,patel suffers persecution4 ,consecration of the cemetery4 ,the ,patel's chair4 ,hindus and gifts4 ,demand for tips4 ,hindu boys dissatisfied4 ,buying land in ,india is generally a troublesome business1 and difficulties are multiplied when it is required for missionary purposes1 because although the owner may be willing to sell1 he is often coerced not to part with his land by his co-religionists1 who1 as they are not going to profit by the transaction1 can afford to adopt a high hand concerning it4 ,it took some years to secure a plot of ground for the burial of ,christians in the village of ,yerandawana4 ,a cemetery is not welcomed as a near neighbour in any part of the world1 and in ,india particularly there are many additional prejudices which have to be taken into account4 ,amongst these1 there is a vague idea that it is unlucky to sell land for such an object1 and that it may result in the early death of the vendor1 or some member of his family4 ,it has been explained that this village is inam to a mosque in ,poona ,city4 ,hence ,government has only the same sort of control over village affairs that it has over those of a native state1 and there is no ,government land in the place4 ,but the ,collector gave the ,patel a friendly hint that he had better look round and see whether some suitable plot for a ,christian cemetery could not be found4 ,he did so1 and an excellent site on one of his own fields proved to be available4 ,it was on gently sloping ground at the foot of a low range of hills1 quite away from any habitations1 but easily accessible because an ancient right-of-way led up to it4 ,the finding of a site1 however1 did not mean that all difficulties were solved4 ,prettily situated as it was1 and commanding a charming view1 it was a bit of ground useless for agricultural purposes4 ,even the grass which grew upon it was so coarse and wiry that cattle would not eat it4 ,but the ,patel's first suggestion as to price was that ,rs4 #aejj would be a desirable sum1 and he went away rather disheartened on being assured that his suggestion was impossible4 ,when he came again1 we said that as the plot of ground was to be used for religious purposes it would be best to put aside mercenary ideas and make a free gift of it4 ,the sudden notion struck him as a good one1 and he agreed4 ,as we knew that when it became known many ,hindus would try and dissuade him from his purpose1 we set to work at once to get the matter officially confirmed2 writing to the ,collector to tell him of the successful result of the negotiations1 and enlisting the services of a lawyer to draw up a proper deed of gift to the church4 ,all transactions connected with the transfer of land in ,india have to be signed and sealed publicly in the ,registrar's ,court1 and unless so done the transaction is not binding4 ,the system is excellent in theory1 but it is difficult to prevent abuses in its way of working4 ,all the court officials appeared to be ,brahmins4 ,our cemetery case was nearly wrecked in its passage through the ,registrar's ,court4 ,the proceedings in minor courts where there are no ,englishmen are conducted in leisurely fashion1 with much desultory talk and waste of time4 ,although the deed of gift was a simple matter1 the attempt to get it registered occupied some hours1 and eventually was not accomplished at all that day4 ,during the long time of waiting various people about the court went and talked with the ,patel1 and our lawyer felt sure that pressure was being put upon him to get him to draw back4 ,anyhow1 it ended by his saying that he was not prepared to sign the deed that day1 and that he must consult his friends on some points connected with it4 ,the lawyer arranged for an early date for a renewed attempt1 feeling sure that it was a case of now or never4 ,the ,registrar arrived only two hours behind time4 ,the ,brahmin officials were all smiles and affability to me1 saying what an excellent act of charity the ,patel was performing4 ,the lawyer sat like a hawk over the clerk who was copying out the deed1 in order to see that he did not alter it in the process1 a trick which1 he said1 was not uncommon4 ,watching the business of the court in progress1 ,i felt how completely the more ignorant people were in the hands of the permanent officials1 and how easy it would be to get a negotiation doctored to suit one's own ends4 ,it was with almost surprised relief that at the end of nearly three hours we left the court possessors of the completed document1 and the acre of land was now the property of the ,church of ,s4 ,crispin in perpetuity4 ,villagers and others had been asking the ,patel what he meant by making gifts of land to ,christians1 and that if he wished to endow temples1 why did he not endow the ,hindu temple8 ,the ,patel was getting shaky1 and was beginning to repent his promise4 ,but1 the act once accomplished1 he was glad that he had done it1 and received our thanks with a pleasing combination of pride and shamefacedness4 ,the legal completion of his charitable act intensified the wrath of his ,hindu neighbours4 ,he was not popular in his village4 ,he was weak and vacillating in his attempts at government1 and foolish and dissipated in his private life4 ,not only did they taunt him with giving land to ,christians1 and jeer at him as he passed by1 but they went to even greater lengths4 ,stones were flung at his door at night1 people gathered opposite his house and made unearthly noises1 invitations to ceremonial feasts were withheld1 and at last he got so alarmed at the spirit of opposition which he had raised that he made one of the low-caste men of the village1 who are under orders to the ,patel1 accompany him whenever he was out after dark4 ,the want of perseverance in the ,indian nature has1 under some circumstances1 advantageous results4 ,a spirit of opposition1 unless industriously fanned1 soon dies down4 ,after a month or two1 the cemetery incident had passed out of the minds of the villagers4 ,a stone cross1 #ae feet high1 had been erected on the site1 and in the early morning when the sun shines upon it1 this cross is a conspicuous object from the high-road4 ,the holy sign in a prominent spot in a heathen land is a refreshing sight4 ,when the bishop consecrated the cemetery and dedicated the cross1 he handed over to the ,patel a handsome chair with a gay cushion1 as a token of our appreciation of his kindness4 ,in his official position as head of the village he sometimes has to receive ,government officers coming to the place on business4 ,but as no one in the village possessed a chair1 he had hitherto been obliged apologetically to spread a blanket for his guests to sit upon4 ,hence a chair of state was a really useful present4 ,one or two graves were dug in readiness1 according to the custom in ,indian cemeteries1 because of the rapid burial necessary in a tropical climate4 ,but for more than three years there was no death in the ,christian settlement4 ,at last one of the little boys in the ,home1 described in a letter as our youngest and our best1 died suddenly of plague1 and was buried in the new plot1 appropriately enough1 on ,holy ,innocents ,day1 #aiaa4 ,someone asked1 ,was the ,patel pleased with his chair8 ,a ,hindu is rarely actually pleased with a gift1 because1 however large it may be1 he generally regrets that it is not larger4 ,when it got whispered abroad that the ,patel was going to receive a present1 he had visions of one of great value4 ,a silver cup1 or even one of gold1 was discussed as a possible1 or even a probable gift4 ,and though he had the grace1 unlike some ,indians1 not to grumble in our presence concerning the nature of the presentation1 the comment1 only a chair1 was the prevailing sentiment expressed in the village4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,cemetery ,,cross4 ,a ,hindu almost always asks for more4 ,if you are paying a large building account1 the contractor will suggest that1 because of the excellence of his work1 it would be only just and right to give him ,rs4 #ajj extra4 ,the driver of a tonga almost habitually asks for more1 irrespective of what has been given him4 ,hence people practise the innocent artifice of handing to him somewhat less than his legal fare1 and then when he asks for more giving him the balance1 and he usually goes away quite satisfied4 ,porters at railway stations unblushingly beg for tips1 and remonstrate at the smallness of the gift1 and pursue the traveller about the station beseeching him to consider their poverty4 ,if you have been staying in an ,indian bungalow1 an array of servants gather round at the time of your departure1 unless the master of the house has set his face against the stereotyped custom1 and by their elaborate salaams and outstretched palms indicate what is expected of you4 ,the disappointed ones follow you down the carriage-drive reminding you of your neglect4 ,when ,i have sometimes warned servants1 who were rather officious in their attentions1 that having no money ,i should not be able to give them anything at the conclusion of my visit1 there has generally been a perceptible falling off in their activity4 ,christian servants do not clamour in this way1 and give a pleasant tank you when they are given something1 and take great care of an impecunious wayfarer4 ,when ,hindu boys ask for pictures1 whether you give them one or several1 they at once beg for additional ones2 and however good the pictures may be1 they will often hand them back immediately and say they want better ones4 ,it is only when they have learnt by experience that these tactics generally result in their getting no pictures at all1 that they moderate their demands4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,proverbial ,,sayings ,,about ,,india ,inaccurate statements4 ,village trades dependent on demand4 ,platforms for the bird-scarers4 ,shop lamps of the city4 ,supposed ascetics4 ,uncertainty of the monsoon2 how it comes4 ,cold in ,india2 how an ,indian deals with it2 he cannot work if he is cold4 ,englishmen and the ,indian sun4 ,there are a number of sayings and statements about ,india and its people which are either inaccurate or misleading1 but which have become almost proverbial1 and which are copied from book to book1 and conveyed to new-comers by word of mouth1 and their often mistaken impressions of many simple things are partly caused by the erroneous expressions and descriptions which they have heard or read4 ,it takes the first several years of a residence in ,india to gradually unlearn the things which have been wrongly learnt4 ,the stray visitor does not stay long enough to get his view straightened out1 and when he returns to write his book about ,india he repeats the off-told tale4 ,it is often stated in books that in each village a representative of every trade which supplies the ordinary wants of the inhabitants is to be found--such as the barber1 carpenter1 blacksmith1 potter1 cobbler1 etc4 ,but there is no rule about this1 and it depends1 just as it does in ,english villages1 on the size of the place and the demands of trade4 ,in many villages there is no resident barber1 and the people depend on the chance visits of one who itinerates4 ,blacksmiths are1 for the most part1 wandering people who come and settle down near a village for a few weeks or months1 and then1 when trade grows dull1 move on to a fresh pitch4 ,the potter is now only to be met with here and there4 ,it is a sign of the increasing prosperity of ,india that brass and copper vessels are largely taking the place of the earthenware cooking-pots4 ,a carpenter is found in almost every village1 because petty repairs to farming implements are an everyday need4 ,he is a man of some importance1 and wears a sacred thread like a ,brahmin4 ,when travelling in the train from ,bombay to ,poona for the first time1 ,i noticed here and there in the corner of many fields a sort of litter1 about the length of a man1 raised on rough poles about six feet high1 and on it a mysterious heap of rubbish4 ,i remember vaguely to have read that the bodies of the dead in the ,east are exposed to be devoured by birds1 and ,i jumped to the conclusion that the platforms were erected for this purpose1 and that the heap of rubbish was the remains of the corpse1 and that solitary places in remote fields were chosen in order that the dead might not be any annoyance to the living4 ,as a matter of fact1 it is only the ,parsees who place their dead on tower-like structures1 built for the purpose1 to be disposed of by the vultures4 ,i learnt in due course that these rural platforms are for the use of boys who scare away birds and other creatures from the ripening crops1 and ,i have not unfrequently accepted the hospitable invitation of some of the village boys to climb up on to the platform and share their sport4 ,from their post of vantage they can survey the whole field1 and they sling stones with marvellous force and accuracy to whatever quarter the birds are attacking4 ,they also make a din by beating empty oil-tins1 and use clappers as the country boys at home do4 ,the heap of rubbish only consists of the leaves and grass which the boys collect to make their seat on the perch more comfortable1 because they often keep vigil for the whole of a long day4 ,the visitor having read that to the ,hindu everything is permeated with religion1 thinks that everything that he sees has some religious significance4 ,someone describing his first drive from the ,poona station to the ,mission-house through the native city at night1 said how much moved he was at seeing the little flickering lamps burning before the idols in the shops4 ,but a ,hindu does not put his household gods in his shop1 and the flickering lamp was merely his ordinary shop lamp1 which a few years back satisfied his wants4 ,there are some modern inventions which ,indians have taken to very readily1 and amongst these are the new ways of producing brilliant light1 and the old-fashioned flickering lamp is now hardly to be seen in ,poona4 ,going out in the early morning a day or so after my first arrival in ,india1 ,i met three or four men walking silently one behind each other1 and wearing what looked something like a coarse brown habit with a cowl1 which they had drawn over their heads so that their faces were almost hidden4 ,having heard so often about ,indian ascetics1 ,i looked at them with some curiosity and respect1 as being probably of their number4 ,but in the course of the morning ,i met so many others of the same type1 that ,i began to think ,i must have made a mistake4 ,the cowl-like habit turned out to be the coarse native blanket1 used for so many purposes by rustic ,indians1 and which they wear in this monastic fashion in the1 sometimes chill1 early mornings1 or when it is wet4 ,their walking in single file was not in order to assist them in the preservation of perpetual silence1 but because jungle footpaths make this mode of progression a necessity1 and country folk get so used to walking in this fashion that when they emerge on to the high-road they preserve the same order4 ,the monsoon1 or rainy season1 ,i had been led to suppose began almost invariably on a certain date1 and that rain then fell continuously for three months until another fixed day when it left off1 after which no more rain fell till the appointed date of the next year4 ,the expression1 the monsoon has burst1 which is often seen in the newspapers1 suggests the idea that the advent of the rain is something akin to a deluge produced by the bursting of a great tank4 ,in reality there is1 at times1 almost as much uncertainty about weather in ,india as there is in ,england4 ,the most that can be said is that there are several months in which rain1 though possible1 is extremely unlikely1 and outdoor festivities can be arranged for without those anxious watchings of the heavens which is the lot of the organiser of garden fetes in ,england4 ,but the date of the monsoon1 its duration1 and its quality1 are most uncertain factors and subjects of anxious speculation1 and generally of singularly incorrect prophecy4 ,the country also is so large1 and its characteristics are so varied1 that the monsoon not only does not occur at the same time all over ,india1 but the amount of rainfall varies enormously in localities not far removed from each other4 ,there are parts of ,india where rain hardly ever falls1 and there are other parts where the total rainfall reaches an almost incredible figure4 ,but it would be possible for a skilful wanderer so to travel about ,india that he would never come under the influence of the monsoon at all4 ,nor is its bursting otherwise than a rather gradual process4 ,clouds slowly gather1 rumblings of thunder are heard1 lightning flashes about the mountain tops with great brilliancy1 the air is close and oppressive1 there is often violent wind1 and dust sweeps into the bungalow in clouds1 a few drops of rain fall1 and people hope that the monsoon has begun4 ,but these symptoms are often prolonged for a week or two before the real rain comes1 and sometimes the clouds disperse and brilliant sunshine returns for a time4 ,now and then the monsoon is almost a complete failure in certain areas1 and that means famine1 proportionate to the area which lacks rain4 ,even when the monsoon begins in earnest1 there is still room for speculation and anxiety4 ,in some years it ceases prematurely1 and then the grain either does not come into ear1 or else the ears are small and parched4 ,when a good monsoon commences in sober earnest there is often a combination of high wind and heavy rain which few roofs are proof against1 and a good deal of discomfort indoors is the result4 ,after the first day or two the wind generally drops1 and a steady perpendicular downpour follows1 continuous and heavy according to the locality1 and the character of the monsoon in each year4 ,in ,poona and its neighbourhood the rain rarely continues for many days in succession1 and there come breaks of delightfully bright sunshine4 ,in some years the rainy season is only spread over about two months1 but in other years it lasts on and off much longer4 ,indians are naturally sensitive to cold4 ,in ,western ,india the thermometer rarely falls very low4 ,nevertheless the difference between the day and night temperature is so great in some parts1 and the fall in temperature in the small hours of the morning is so rapid1 that it gives the impression of a sharp frost1 even although the thermometer may have scarcely fallen below #ej deg44 ,but in the middle of the afternoon of the previous day it may have registered #ij deg4 in the shade1 and a drop of #dj deg4 is keenly felt4 ,in ,january #aiaa1 without any warning1 the temperature one night actually dropped to below freezing1 and a film of ice was found in a plate which had been left out all night1 to the great astonishment of the boys1 and much damage was done to fruit blossom and crops4 ,the ,indian deals with cold in quite a different way to those who have been brought up in northern countries4 ,if you give him a comforter1 very little of it goes round his neck1 but he wraps his head up in it so that only his eyes and nose are visible1 and if his head is warm he does not seem to mind much about the rest of his frame1 especially his legs1 which are generally bare4 ,but instead of trying to counteract cold by exertion1 he delivers himself up to the miseries of the situation4 ,clad in his scanty linen garments he crouches1 and mopes1 and shivers1 and waits for the sun to rise and warm him4 ,masons and carpenters and labourers may be seen sitting round about the house which they are building1 waiting to get warm1 and until that process has been satisfactorily completed they will not touch a tool1 however late it may be4 ,you ask ,felix1 the boy who sweeps the bungalow1 why he has not done it1 and he replies1 ,i was cold4 ,you say1 ,you will sweep it as soon as you are warm8 ,he says1 ,of course4 ,and there is nothing more to be said1 because it is an understood thing that a cold ,indian cannot work4 ,his delight in a fire is intense4 ,people collect leaves and rubbish and make fires by the roadside1 or even in the streets1 and crowds gather round and sit almost into the blaze1 so that it is a wonder that they are not scorched4 ,their only regret is that the materials for the bonfire are generally so insufficient4 ,the joy of sitting in the sun to get warm1 which the ,indian can do with impunity1 is denied to the ,englishman4 ,he must treat the sun with respect from the time it rises till the time it sets1 and even on a cloudy day the same caution is necessary4 ,this does not mean that it is unsafe to go out in the sun4 ,it only means that no one should step out1 even for a few moments1 without first putting on his sun-hat4 ,this is a complete safeguard if it is made of real pith of sufficient thickness1 and with a brim wide enough to protect the forehead and the back of the head and neck4 ,this kind of sun-tope is very light1 but in other respects it is a cumbersome and inconvenient sort of headgear1 and people1 especially ladies1 are tempted rashly to discard it4 ,many ailments1 and sometimes serious illnesses1 quite apart from actual sunstroke1 may be traced to careless exposure to the sun's rays4 ,,chapter ,,xl ,,indian ,,unrest ,the umbrella in ,india2 now universal2 carried by the police4 ,the boycott of foreign goods4 ,political excitement4 ,resentment in the ,plague ,refuge ,camp2 how it was overcome4 ,the agency of the ,church4 ,an improved type of ,hindu schoolboy2 how they dress2 their manners2 their interest in religion4 ,moral teaching in schools4 ,conceit of some young students4 ,the umbrella always has been1 and is still to some extent1 an important feature of life in the ,east4 ,its importance is derived more from its recognition as an emblem of dignity than from its practical utility4 ,it was one of the prerogatives of kings and nobles to have a gorgeous umbrella borne over their head by one of their retainers4 ,it is only the gradual levelling up of classes that has made umbrellas almost universal4 ,even up to quite modern times there were certain parts of ,poona ,city where ,brahmins live1 in which a low-caste man would not have dared to walk with an umbrella4 ,to do so would have been regarded as an act of insolent presumption4 ,but when the barrier of prohibitive custom had once been levelled1 umbrellas came in with a rush1 and they are now used to an almost ludicrous extent4 ,a mason may be seen sitting at work on a wall with his umbrella in one hand and his trowel in the other4 ,farm labourers out in the country1 seated on the pole of their bullock-cart1 or men perched on the top of loads of wood in great cities1 will enjoy both the dignity and the shade of their outspread umbrella in the hot season4 ,that it is assumed in some cases more for dignity than for actual need1 is shown by the readiness with which it is discarded when convenient1 and its bearer sits cheerfully bareheaded in the blazing sun4 ,the ,bombay police are given umbrellas during the rainy season1 and as the rainfall in that city is very heavy1 they are a necessary though not a convenient burden for a policeman to bear4 ,in ,calcutta they go a step farther1 and the umbrellas are served out during the hot season also1 and the police are provided with an arrangement which looks something like braces worn outside1 on to which they hang the umbrella when they find that it interferes with the discharge of their duties4 ,whether the ,calcutta policeman really needs this protection from the sun may be doubted1 when the majority of the people in the ,calcutta streets are1 by their own choice1 entirely bareheaded4 ,but the appearance of dignity which the umbrella conveys is no doubt an advantage to the policeman1 even if he does not actually need it as a protection4 ,a few years back umbrellas of every imaginable size and shape and colour and degree of disreputability were in evidence in the streets of ,poona ,city4 ,there was a favourite umbrella with wooden ribs1 covered with a kind of oilcloth1 red or yellow in colour1 which was a cheap and useful article4 ,but in these modern days of growing luxury such umbrellas are despised4 ,why do you carry this kind of umbrella8 said an elegantly dressed young ,hindu student to me4 ,i do so because it is cheap1 and ,i am poor1 was my reply4 ,you are not poor2 you are rich1 was his answer4 ,umbrellas from ,europe are brought into ,india in shoals4 ,when an agitation arose in ,bengal to boycott foreign goods the umbrella question became a complex one1 because their manufacture is practically unknown in the country4 ,the difficulty was solved by importing the component parts to be put together in ,india1 and then they could be labelled country-made4 ,although now anybody who can afford it may carry an umbrella whenever and wherever he pleases1 a certain idea of dignity still lingers in connection with it1 and the bearer of this ancient symbol of importance often does so with a slight swagger1 and all the more so if he is dressed in rags1 or scarcely dressed at all4 ,the agitation in ,bengal referred to above was an epidemic of political excitement amongst educated classes1 and more particularly young students1 which spread wider than usual1 and threatened to become serious4 ,it had therefore to be dealt with firmly4 ,the epidemic spread to ,poona ,city 7and indeed it was freely said that the chief wire-pullers in the movement lived there74 ,as a result of this unrest there was a marked cooling-off in cordiality amongst the visitors to ,yerandawana when plague broke out again in the city1 and the annual exodus took place4 ,the deportation to a distance of one of the leaders on the side of discontent in the city1 for a period of some years1 was the chief ground of local resentment4 ,boy friends of previous years held aloof2 elder brothers1 of the student class1 were inclined to be cheeky2 and their parents1 as far as they could1 kept out of the way4 ,in former years crowds of lads came from the ,plague ,refuge ,camp to ask for old ,christmas cards4 ,many of them were boys from schools of good standing where drawing is carefully taught4 ,in order to choke off the mere idlers1 we told a boy when we gave him a picture that if he wanted another one he must make a copy of the picture given1 and bring back both the original and the copy the next day4 ,the plan answers admirably1 and it has become our regular custom4 ,it gets rid of the loafers who do not want the trouble of drawing pictures1 it gives the boys an occupation in their long idle days1 it quickens their interest in drawing1 and in a few instances has brought to light some genuine talent4 ,boys grow ambitious1 and get chalks and colours1 and produce results of artistic promise4 ,it also brings the best type of lad almost daily to the ,mission bungalow for a definite object1 and affords many opportunities for useful talks on subjects religious and secular4 ,but when the season recommenced after that period of political unrest1 there were few applicants for pictorial cards4 ,a sprinkling of old friends of previous years began to bring their drawings1 but they did this in the face of a sarcastic opposition which few had sufficient backbone to withstand for long4 ,but fortunately we had at that time many exceptionally attractive pictures1 which people had sent us from ,england4 ,the few gallant boys who braved the opposition got rewards which soon awakened longings throughout the camp to be possessors of the like4 ,one by one1 at first shyly1 and then with growing confidence as deserters from the opposition grew more numerous1 the old friends returned1 to be followed by many new ones4 ,the younger generation being won over1 their elders began to thaw and to exchange kindly greetings1 and now and then we were invited to see their hut or tent1 or to sit down outside for a few minutes' talk4 ,it is something to be grateful for when an attitude of distrust has changed into one of friendliness4 ,but from a religious point of view this might not have been of much use1 if it had not been for the new agent which had come into the life of the village--and that agent was the village church4 ,the effect of the building upon the ,hindu mind has been already told4 ,but in addition1 many ,hindus got some idea of the nature of ,christian worship by a spasmodic attendance at ,evensong1 especially on week-days4 ,the nineteen double doors1 most of them standing open in the hot weather when wind and dust are not too aggressive1 give an opportunity for taking stock of the situation before coming inside4 ,they are also available as roads of retreat1 supposing circumstances are suggestive of danger4 ,when1 after a rather prolonged season on account of the plague lingering longer than usual in the city1 our visitors went back to their homes and we were left in comparative peace1 we felt that1 besides the dying down of the spirit of opposition1 it had also been a useful time of education concerning ,christian manners and customs1 if nothing more4 ,but without the two agencies of the pictures and the church1 ,i do not see that we could have attained either of these results4 ,there are some indications that the efforts which are now being made to introduce more rational methods of teaching are beginning to influence favourably the young ,indian mind4 ,that a large number of students under the old regime have been lamentable failures nobody denies1 and much of the discontent of recent years1 leading in some instances to serious political crime1 has been the inevitable fruit of the foreign secular education which we have brought4 ,but there is a distinctly new type of ,indian schoolboy appearing1 amongst the thousands of lads who are getting their education in ,poona ,city4 ,some of them not unfrequently find their way to the village ,mission-house on half-holiday afternoons1 and ask to see the church1 or beg for a picture post-card4 ,they talk a little ,english1 dropping back into the vernacular with some relief when unable to say exactly what they want in the foreign tongue4 ,they rather incline to ,english dress2 in some cases even substituting knickerbockers1 or trousers1 for the ,hindu dhota4 ,the picturesque and useful turban they unfortunately give up altogether1 and wear instead a small round cap4 ,many of them have ceased to shave their head1 and are rather proud of their hair1 which they wear foppishly long in front4 ,they only nominally retain the ,hindu shinde1 or little pigtail4 ,that is to say1 the hair at the crown of the head is left slightly longer than the rest1 but it is hardly noticeable4 ,some of them have a watch chain1 but there is not always a watch at the end of it4 ,their manners are generally polite and courteous1 except that some of them1 while retaining their caps1 have begun to look upon it as a mark of servility to slip off their shoes on entering a church or house4 ,we explain that whereas it has always been the ,eastern custom to bare the feet as a courteous recognition of place or persons1 the ,western custom1 on account of the cold climate1 has been to bare the head4 ,hence in ,india1 where ,east and ,west meet1 it is optional to follow whichever use the individual prefers2 but to enter a church or house without baring head or feet is not polite4 ,the lads quickly respond to the kindly explanation4 ,some slip off their shoes2 one or two take off their caps instead1 especially when they go into the church4 ,this they do rather shyly for the first time1 and they are obviously nervous as to what going into a ,christian church may involve4 ,but confidence is established after two or three visits4 ,some are quite ignorant of ,christ4 ,others just know ,him by name1 and that is all4 ,more than once ,i have been asked for a photograph of ,christ1 thinking that ,he was somewhere accessible1 or that ,he had lived on earth in modern times4 ,now and then a few lads who have heard scraps of ,christianity ask questions eagerly1 and are delighted to see pictures concerning ,our ,lord's life4 ,three new-comers asked me to give them some of these pictures4 ,i said that if ,i did so they would perhaps turn them into ridicule4 ,we would never do such a thing as that1 was their eager and earnest reply4 ,and though we rarely venture to give religious pictures to ,hindus1 this appeared to be one of those occasions when it might be good to do so4 ,this type of boy goes in a good deal for cricket and football1 and when playing a match knows1 for the most part1 how to keep his temper and to play in a sportsmanlike manner4 ,one of their clubs they call ,the ,new ,english ,club4 ,some attempt is made to give what is called moral instruction in the ,hindu schools that this hopeful type of boy attends4 ,the instruction is1 of necessity1 of the honesty is the best policy kind4 ,that is to say1 if you cultivate politeness and truthfulness1 it will enable you to be a better citizen4 ,or1 if you try to do what is right1 you will be respected in the world4 ,these are not the loftiest ideals1 but anything that tends to strengthen the character and purify the life is to be welcomed4 ,nevertheless1 the attempt to build up a scheme of morals1 without ,christian grace to give the spiritual power to resist the evil forces which will try to frustrate the effort1 can at best only bring about a superficial improvement1 liable at any time to collapse4 ,however1 these indications of an improved type of schoolboy give hope for an improved type of man1 which may mean much for the future of ,india4 ,some of the young ,hindus of the city1 who speak ,english rather fluently1 become amusingly conceited in consequence4 ,one of these lads visiting the ,mission-house said to me1 ,your ,english pronunciation is not good4 ,i sometimes purposely reply to these ,english-speaking youths in ,marathi1 because they rather affect not to know it4 ,this same lad said that it was no good my talking to them in that language1 because that no one could understand my ,marathi4 ,when ,i suggested that even his ,english was capable of improvement1 he replied that that was impossible1 because his ,english was perfect4 ,when ,i was showing him the church1 he asked if he might go into the sanctuary1 and when ,i said that that was reserved for the ministers1 he replied that that was superstition4 ,seeing some of the ,mission boys1 who are simply but nicely dressed1 he exclaimed1 ,why do you clothe your boys in this miserable way8 you should give them fine and beautiful clothing4 ,ascertaining that ,i was pledged not to marry1 he asked1 ,why do you lead this miserable existence8 ,there is no pleasure in life without marriage4 ,but when the ,brahmin wife of the schoolmaster happened to pass by1 he was immensely astonished to hear that she was a ,christian4 ,after one or two visits young men of this sort often drop most of their conceit1 and talk naturally and pleasantly4 ,,chapter ,,xli ,,the ,,english ,,in ,,india ,bishop ,heber's sentiments still apply4 ,misunderstandings about ,india4 ,hindu character4 ,action of dissenters4 ,rashness of the early settlers4 ,early rising4 ,cold baths4 ,the ,bishop's dress4 ,river excursions4 ,conservatism in ,india4 ,the ,englishman's bungalow4 ,arrangements for bathing2 their primitive nature4 ,it is curious to note1 in letters written nearly a hundred years ago1 that many of the things now said about ,india were said then1 and hopes and fears and perplexities concerning the progress of ,christianity were couched in much the same terms as at the present day4 ,bishop ,heber writes3 ,i have seen enough to find that the customs1 the habits1 and prejudices of the people of this country are much misunderstood in ,england4 ,these words of the ,bishop are still true1 in spite of the multitude of books which have been written about ,india since his day1 and the increasing number of people who visit the country4 ,even the same misunderstandings linger4 ,we have all heard1 writes the ,bishop1 of the humanity of the ,hindus towards brute creatures1 their horror of animal food1 etc42 and you may be1 perhaps1 as much surprised as ,i was1 to find that those who can afford it are hardly less carnivorous than ourselves4 ,and though they consider it a grievous crime to kill a cow or bullock for the purpose of eating1 yet they treat their draft oxen1 no less than their horses1 with a degree of barbarous severity which would turn an ,english hackney-coachman sick4 ,nor have their religious prejudices and the unchangeableness of their habits been less exaggerated4 ,at present there is an obvious and increasing disposition to imitate the ,english in everything1 which has already led to very remarkable changes1 and will1 probably1 to still more important4 ,the same sentiments might be written with equal truth to-day1 and would be news to many4 ,the ,bishop also describes the ,hindu character with a good deal of accuracy1 but he adds truly3 ,i do not by any means assent to the pictures of depravity and general worthlessness which some have drawn of the ,hindus4 ,but when speaking of their religion as a demoralising and absurd religion1 he is much nearer the truth than those modern writers who try to idealise it4 ,speaking of dissenters1 ,bishop ,heber writes that they are very civil1 and affect to rejoice at our success2 but they1 somehow or other1 cannot help interfering and setting up rival schools close to ours2 and they apparently find it easier to draw off our pupils1 than to look out for fresh and more distant fields of enterprise4 ,this description would apply to the mission field in many places now1 especially to the action of ,roman ,catholics and the ,salvation ,army4 ,the amazing rashness of the earlier settlers and missionaries comes out in some of their books and journals1 and it is no wonder that the mortality amongst them was great1 so that going to ,india was regarded as an heroic act1 and the chances of return dubious4 ,the chief precaution against the sun that they indulged in was to get up extraordinarily early1 so as to get their exercise while it was still cool1 and they took a long sleep in the middle of the day4 ,bishop ,heber in one of his letters from ,calcutta says3 ,i held my first visitation this morning at #f o'clock 7671 to avoid the heat of the day4 ,in another letter1 when on tour1 he writes3 ,i rise by three in the morning and am on horseback by four4 ,again1 speaking of his life in ,calcutta1 he says3 ,our way of life is simple1 and suited to the climate4 ,the general custom is to rise at six in the cool season1 and at half-past four in the morning during the hot weather1 and to take exercise on horseback till the sun is hot2 then follow a cold bath1 prayers1 and breakfast4 ,the plunge into the cold bath should be noted1 as being the ultimate cause of the ,bishop's sudden death4 ,few people take a cold bath in ,india now1 and certainly not in the early morning4 ,nor is the chill air in the early hours of the ,indian day in the cold weather a particularly healthy time1 and nowadays the few people who come to ,india with the intention of conforming to the ancient custom of early morning exercise soon drop it4 ,it is to be regretted that the tendency now is to go to the opposite extreme1 and late hours at night1 and comparatively late getting up1 grows increasingly common4 ,few people1 however1 now look upon the midday siesta as a necessity4 ,there are authentic sketches of ,bishop ,heber and others out for a ride1 dressed in frock coat and tall hat1 as if they were in ,rotten ,row4 ,the ,bishop1 nevertheless1 seems to have accommodated his dress to the necessities of the climate more than most of the clergy1 at any rate when on tour4 ,there is an amusing paragraph1 bearing on this point1 in the journal of the ,archdeacon of ,bombay in #ahbe4 ,when ,bishop ,heber was drawing near to ,bombay1 after a long and arduous tour1 he was joined by the ,archdeacon1 who says in the course of his notes that there are some points1 such as his wearing white trousers and a white hat1 which ,i could wish were altered with more regard to his station1 and which1 perhaps strike me the more after being accustomed to the particular attention of ,bishop ,middleton in such points4 ,but he goes on to say that he felt compelled to forgive him1 on the score of all his other excellent qualities4 ,in a note the editor explains that on his journeys the ,bishop wore a white solar hat1 with a very broad brim 7lined with green silk71 made from the pith of the bamboo4 ,as it afforded more protection from glare and heat he preferred it to the episcopal hat1 his usual dress when residing at any of the presidencies4 ,the white trousers he adopted soon after his arrival in ,india1 from their greater coolness2 and he recommended them to his clergy on all ordinary occasions4 ,it might be added that coolness is not the only thing to be considered for residents in ,india4 ,a chill of some sort is the cause of many ,indian ailments1 and shirt and trousers of flannel1 however thin1 should be the invariable dress1 by day and by night4 ,one of the ways of trying to regain health amongst those early workers in the ,east1 was to go for an excursion of some weeks' duration on a river4 ,possibly they had in mind the beneficial results of a boat excursion on the ,thames4 ,but slow progress in a native boat1 alongside the mud-banks and reedy swamps of many ,indian rivers1 was about as sure a way of getting1 or increasing1 malaria as they could have devised4 ,there is a strong spirit of conservatism amongst most ,englishmen when they live in ,india4 ,they appear to catch the traditional spirit of the country1 and what has been must always be4 ,hence arrangements adopted by the earlier settlers are continued to the present day1 even though in some respects they are particularly inconvenient4 ,the old-fashioned bungalow1 which is always a one-storied building nearly all roof1 is simplicity itself as regards plan4 ,but it is certainly not beautiful to look at1 and has nothing specially to commend itself from a practical point of view4 ,yet it is only very gradually that houses more attractive in appearance1 and more adapted to the ways of civilisation1 are taking its place4 ,even in modern bungalows1 the extremely primitive arrangements for bathing1 which formerly had to suffice because there was nothing better1 are still perpetuated4 ,the bathroom is often a dingy1 lean-to shed1 opening out of your sleeping room4 ,it has another door leading to the outer world for the use of the water-carrier1 as well as for the mysterious being who glides in and out as he attends to the sanitary needs of the bathroom in a country where there is no drainage4 ,the actual area for bathing is something like the sink in an ,english scullery1 but level with the floor and on an enlarged scale4 ,the hole in the wall1 as an exit for the water1 is unpleasantly suggestive of a possible inlet for snakes4 ,nor is this fear without foundation4 ,the hole in the wall leading into the cool1 damp1 dark bathroom is a distinct invitation to snakes to enter in1 which they sometimes accept4 ,the wire guard is often absent1 or broken4 ,the water for bathing is stored in utensils1 varying in type according to the part of ,india in which you may happen to be4 ,sometimes it is kept in tall black earthenware pots1 suggestive of those in which the ,forty ,thieves of the ,arabian ,nights concealed themselves4 ,sometimes it is found in a gigantic sort of round pie-dish1 such as a giant might use for his supper4 ,sometimes a modern galvanised iron tub indicates the fusion of ,eastern and ,western habits4 ,a servant-boy will bring you a pailful of hot water from the kitchen--that remote apartment1 in some far-away corner of the compound1 to which no one ventures to penetrate1 unless he is prepared to eat his dinner ever afterwards with misgivings4 ,a certain suspicion of greasiness on the surface of the water is suggestive of cooking and of vessels imperfectly cleansed4 ,it is always rather a problem to know how one is meant to use the water in the pail1 which is usually scalding hot4 ,a visitor emptying it into the big tub of cold water1 and having a luxurious tepid bath1 found that in so doing he had unwittingly used up a store of cold water which was meant to last for several days4 ,there are many parts of ,india where clean fresh water is scarce1 and has to be fetched from a distance and used with economy4 ,the remaining apparatus provided for your comfort in the bathroom is a wooden board1 or rack1 on which you squat1 while you pour water over yourself with a tin pint-pot4 ,it is well to see that no scorpion1 or other stinging insect1 has hid up in any of the crevices of the board4 ,a very refreshing bath can be secured in this primitive way1 and suggestions for improved methods are scarcely welcomed by those who have got accustomed to1 and now prefer1 the old-fashioned plan4 ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,dishonesty ,,in ,,india ,ideal low concerning work4 ,bribery4 ,on the railway4 ,dishonest ticket clerks4 ,servants' commission4 ,door-attendant's tip4 ,gifts from native merchants4 ,changes in modern ,india4 ,the ,indian growler disappearing4 ,wearing shoes4 ,cloth coats of ,english cut4 ,the daily paper4 ,the villagers' clothing4 ,most ,indians have a low ideal concerning work4 ,if six or seven are working together they take turns1 and it is rare to see more than the minority in active employment at any given time4 ,even those who are set over them do not expect a fuller response4 ,it is also rare to find anyone 7except a few first-class artizans7 who takes pride in his work1 or who can be trusted to do it well except under supervision4 ,even in a household it is rare to find a servant 7except a few very capable head-servants7 who can be depended on to maintain a satisfactory standard of work1 unless he is frequently reminded whenever he slackens off4 ,in teaching lads a trade1 the majority of them need to be shown over and over again how to do a thing before they grasp it4 ,and even after skill has been acquired1 it is not until they have felt the inconvenience of being called upon to re-do what has been done badly1 that they realise that it is best to do it well at first4 ,hardly any transaction1 great or small1 is completed in heathen ,india without something of the nature of a bribe taking place1 and the system is so almost universal that it seems as if it is likely to be a long time before it is eradicated4 ,hardly anyone will do anything for anybody without the stimulus of a reward of some sort4 ,many ,indian officials will not discharge even the ordinary duties of their office without frequent refreshers from the people amongst whom they work4 ,it is naturally the poorest and weakest who suffer most from this form of oppression4 ,on the railway there is almost unlimited scope for this4 ,the doors on to the platform of the waiting-rooms1 or rather sheds1 which are provided for native passengers are generally only opened just as the train comes in4 ,the rush is often great1 and the number of passengers is constantly in excess of the vacant places in the train4 ,the official who unlocks the door leading on to the platform can easily favour certain persons1 and keep back others1 with very little risk of detection1 and it is the traveller who has been most ready with his palm oil who gets through the gate promptly1 and so stands a good chance of getting a seat in the train4 ,in selling tickets to third-class passengers there is vast scope for cheating4 ,they are mostly illiterate1 and many of them inexperienced in the ways of travel4 ,a dishonest clerk can easily discriminate the kind of passenger he is dealing with1 and when he thinks it safe to do so1 can quote the price of the ticket as being something over and above its real value1 and then pocket the balance4 ,the price printed on the tickets is no guide to the majority of third-class ,indian travellers4 ,in the course of a long day a dishonest ticket clerk1 by means of small irregularities1 can add substantially to his income4 ,detectives1 disguised as poor passengers1 are sometimes successful in bringing a clerk of this character to book4 ,the goods and parcels traffic also furnishes a wide field for overcharge1 and also of vexatious delay when the stimulus of a commission on the transaction is lacking4 ,if a servant is sent to fetch a tonga from the bazaar1 more often than not he will make the driver give him a pice or two1 under the threat of otherwise not giving him any more of his master's custom4 ,one of the many servants of the average ,indian bungalow sits at the entrance of the front verandah1 and he is the channel of communication between the outside world and the powers within4 ,door-bells1 for some inscrutable reason1 are practically unknown in the ,englishman's bungalow4 ,if the door-attendant happens to be absent1 the visitor shouts ,boy1 a word which in ,western ,india is applied1 not very happily1 to any household servant of whatever age4 ,if the caller is a sahib1 the door-attendant will quickly attend to his wants and will bring him into rapid communication with his master4 ,but supposing you are a poor native1 wanting to see the sahib on some matter of business1 unless you are lucky enough to waylay him as he drives in or out1 which he may possibly resent1 you stand a poor chance of getting near him unless you are prepared to tip the door-keeper4 ,it is to be feared that even ,hindus1 coming in an honest spirit of inquiry to a missionary's house1 have been choked off by an official of this nature4 ,it is of the utmost importance that the front verandah of a mission-house should be freely accessible to whoever likes to step into it4 ,district officers when they are on tour and living in camp1 and who are honestly anxious to be within reach of everybody who has a real grievance1 have sometimes great difficulty in preventing their good intentions being frustrated by some of the subordinate officials who form an inevitable part of their retinue4 ,native merchants who deal with ,englishmen have the idea so ingrained that bribes are a necessary part of business1 that they imagine that the way to secure custom1 or at any rate more favourable terms1 is to make large offerings of fruit and sweetmeats at ,christmas1 and such-like auspicious times4 ,one of the results of this is that most things in the ,indian markets1 and even in some of the shops1 grow rather dearer just before ,christmas1 and the notion is spreading amongst ,hindus and others that it is a season for presents and feasting4 ,some of these traders may even proceed to hint vaguely about financial percentages1 if they think that acceptance is at all likely4 ,it is to be hoped that the tradition that ,englishmen in positions of trust are proof against such suggestions1 is one that may always be maintained4 ,amongst the signs which indicate that ,india1 for better or worse1 is beginning to move with the times1 may be noted an increase in refinement1 a greater regard for outward appearance1 and the gradual introduction of things which conduce to greater comfort4 ,the two-horse conveyance1 called a shiggram1 which used to represent the growler of ,poona ,city1 has almost disappeared4 ,it was certainly a most comfortless kind of carriage1 something like what a growler would be if you removed all its lining and padding1 and with very narrow seats4 ,in its place victorias and landaus have become almost universal1 and those belonging to private owners are often well built and nicely kept4 ,the number of people wearing shoes of ,english pattern rapidly increases1 together with the use of socks4 ,the ,hindu ,widows' ,home has established quite a thriving business in the manufacture of socks and stockings for men4 ,indians have been accustomed to go barefoot1 not because they prefer it1 but partly because to wear shoes was1 like the umbrella1 a mark of distinction not to be assumed by everybody1 and partly because poverty forbade it4 ,but there are times in the year when an ,indian suffers a good deal through going barefoot4 ,in the middle of the day in the hot weather the surface of a high-road is so heated that an ,englishman could not tread upon it at all with bare feet1 and even the hardened sole of the ,indian is put to serious inconvenience4 ,indians say that in the wet weather1 when the roads are often deep in soft mud1 this mud gets in between the toes and is extremely uncomfortable4 ,and in the cold weather1 the boys' bare feet get deeply cut by the chill air of the early mornings which has descended from frosty regions4 ,masters in the better-class schools and the majority of students1 the numerous lawyers1 and some shopkeepers1 have taken to wearing cloth coats1 which are now almost universally of ,english cut1 although the native coat was very effective and convenient4 ,shops are arranged with some regard to artistic effect1 and many of the shops in ,poona ,city are now bright and attractive in appearance and contain a varied stock4 ,formerly the shop was little more than the place where the goods were stored1 and there was little attempt to attract the passer-by1 and only a languid effort to attend to his wants if he stopped to express them4 ,the daily paper has become a regular part of the day's routine of the much-leisured ,hindu1 and the demand has greatly improved the character of the supply1 and some of the vernacular papers furnish up-to-date news1 and the leaders are written with ability4 ,the more stringent measures which it became necessary to put in force because of the seditious character of many of the vernacular papers has done much to purify the ,indian press1 so that while many of the papers retain an independent line1 their criticisms are couched in sufficiently decorous language4 ,even amongst the working classes there is a great advance in comfort1 especially as regards clothing4 ,the scanty dress of the ,indian arose1 not so much because of the hot climate1 but because he could only afford a few yards of calico4 ,now he is not only much less unclothed than he used to be1 but his garments are of better material and more skilfully made4 ,the ,indian villager also often wears cloth coats of ,english shape1 but he has not made much advance as regards cleanliness4 ,he does not wash all over much oftener than his ,english rural brother1 except in the hot weather if there is a river within reach4 ,he rarely washes his clothes1 but wears them till they are so dirty that he can wear them no longer1 and then buys new ones2 and he appears to think that this is the best arrangement4 ,,chapter ,,xliii ,,indian ,,mohammedans ,mohammedans and marriage4 ,their conception of heaven4 ,their trading on board ships4 ,the smell of ,india4 ,the ,indian send-off4 ,use of the plural4 ,mistakes concerning it4 ,unappreciated ,english jocosity4 ,indian free-and-easiness4 ,a ,mohammedan asked me whether if he became a ,christian we would provide him with a wife1 and he appeared surprised to learn that as a ,christian he could only have one wife4 ,our religion allows four1 he said4 ,when ,i urged that more than one wife destroyed the idea of the unity of husband and wife1 he replied1 ,we consider one of our wives as being our real wife1 and the others are like servants4 ,i said that the additional marriages1 under such conditions1 could only be contracted for the gratification of fleshly desires4 ,his answer was1 ,if a man can afford it1 why should he not give himself pleasure8 ,after this there was nothing more to be said4 ,mohammedans succeed better than ,hindus as men of business1 and there are many ,mohammedan firms who do a large trade4 ,in the harbour at ,colombo and at other ports1 ,mohammedan jewel-merchants come on board the steamers in order to try and sell their wares to the passengers4 ,in the interval between the departure of one batch of passengers and the arrival of another1 some of these merchants1 having nothing to do1 came over to where ,i was standing on the deck of a steamer1 to talk about religion4 ,they all spoke ,english in that pleasant way in which many ,easterns speak it--rather hazy about the verbs1 but clear in their pronunciation1 so that it is easy to understand them4 ,an ,indian who knows perhaps only a few ,english words1 generally pronounces them correctly4 ,good morning1 father1 ,i am very glad to see you1 is how the conversation began4 ,are you a ,catholic8 ,i asked4 ,i know all about the ,catholic1 was the reply1 ,i was taught in ,catholic school2 ,i know all ,catholic teaching4 ,but you are not a ,catholic yourself4 ,no1 ,i am a ,mohammedan2 but ,i like ,catholic4 ,some of the others then chimed in and began to urge their usual objections concerning the ,virgin birth1 and the ,holy ,trinity4 ,i was interested in hearing what they had to say1 because we do not often meet ,mohammedans in the ,poona district4 ,i thought that possibly the assertion that their conception of heaven is so degraded might have been exaggerated1 so that ,i was glad of an opportunity to learn from the lips of intelligent representatives of their religion what their views really are4 ,they affirmed that everything that there is on earth will be in heaven1 including all that concerns marriage4 ,in order to get at the bottom of the matter1 ,i asked whether1 as the result of this1 children would be born in heaven4 ,they replied that nothing had been revealed concerning that1 but that probably children would not be born4 ,they were1 therefore1 only anticipating sensual gratification4 ,i told them the story of the seven brethren with the one wife1 and that ,christ1 whom they accepted as a true ,prophet1 said that they neither marry nor are given in marriage in heaven4 ,they answered that1 in spite of that1 it was quite certain that there would be marriage in heaven4 ,it is hardly to be wondered at if1 amongst nations specially prone to sensuality1 a religion spreads which allows four wives in the present1 and holds out such prospects for the future4 ,yet there is something winning and attractive about many of these men with their gentle courteous manners4 ,passengers coming on board1 there was prospect of business1 so saying that they hoped that nothing that they had said would have caused me any offence1 they shook hands and hurried off1 and were soon deeply absorbed in the industry of trying to see how much they could persuade the globe-trotter to give for their wares4 ,but their trade is not so good as it was some years back4 ,the traveller is more wide-awake1 and his inclination now is to err on the side of paying too little4 ,some shipping lines have also forbidden traders to board the ships1 because it gave an opportunity for thieves to get on board under the guise of traders1 and a good many things had been stolen from passengers in this way4 ,landing in ,bombay from the same ship1 an ,australian lady said to me1 as the passengers were waiting on the ,bunder while the luggage was passing through the ,customs1 ,what is this strange smell8 ,it is only the smell of ,india1 ,i replied4 ,then ,i don't like it1 she said very decidedly4 ,there is in ,india a peculiar stale smell which you seldom get entirely away from1 unless on some lofty hills far removed from the haunts of men4 ,it is the smell of an undrained country1 where the habits of the people transgress the most elementary sanitary rules1 so that even out in country districts1 if there are human habitations in the neighbourhood1 the air is tainted4 ,whereas it is the ,english custom to receive a new-comer into office with great ceremony1 the ,indian reserves his enthusiasm for the time of departure4 ,the new viceroy is welcomed with much state ceremonial1 but he departs in comparatively homely fashion4 ,if the arrangements were in the hands of ,indians1 it is the outgoing viceroy who would receive the chief honours4 ,after all1 this may be the right way4 ,the new-comer has not yet been tried1 whereas if he has done his duty during his time of office1 it is at the point of his departure that display of gratitude is becoming4 ,if the head of a mission has to go to ,england on furlough1 the residents at the mission-station will probably give him a tremendous send-off1 even if he is not particularly popular4 ,but when he returns1 the ,indians who saw him off so enthusiastically will receive him back with gracious smiles and kindly greeting1 and half a dozen special friends may call and garland him1 but there will be no general demonstration1 unless there are some ,english people on the spot to suggest it as being the proper thing to do4 ,mistakes made in the effort to speak a difficult ,eastern language are inevitable4 ,but the new-comer is not aware of certain subtle dangers which exist1 quite apart from mispronunciation1 or wrong tenses and genders1 or words misapplied4 ,to use the singular number instead of the plural in speaking to an ,indian1 except of the lowest rank1 is considered by him as an act of great rudeness4 ,in speaking to children the singular number is always used1 and very intimate friends use it in speaking to each other4 ,high-caste ,hindus use it in speaking to low-caste people1 in order to emphasise their own superior position4 ,missionaries generally begin to exercise their conversational powers in the vernacular by trying to say a few words to the boys of the mission4 ,and as their efforts are generally welcomed by the boys in a kindly and encouraging spirit1 the missionary waxes bold and begins to converse with the elder members of his flock1 or even with dignified outsiders1 with sometimes unfortunate results1 because he uses unblushingly1 but unknowingly1 the singular number which he grew familiar with in his conversations with the boys4 ,where art thou going8 ,i said to one of the senior members of the congregation--proud to be able to address him in ,marathi4 ,you speak like a ,brahmin1 was his reply4 ,at the time ,i took this to be fulsome praise of my pronunciation1 and it was not till long afterwards1 as ,i recalled his words1 that ,i understood that he meant that ,i was addressing him in the contemptuous way in which ,brahmins speak to their inferiors4 ,a lady worker1 after struggling bravely with the intricacies of ,marathi1 said that at last she felt encouraged when1 after conversing with some ,indian women1 she heard one of them say1 ,she speaks like a ,hindu4 ,fortunately1 or unfortunately1 she did not understand the real meaning of the remark4 ,indians do not readily understand or appreciate the half-jocose way in which ,englishmen are wont to show friendliness to others4 ,i saw at a railway station some rather venerable ,christians from a village mission seeing off a young missionary4 ,the new-comer was trying to be hail-fellow-well-met with these members of his congregation1 smacking them on the back and laughing a good deal1 and calling them old chaps4 ,the latter expression they did not understand1 but they looked grave and puzzled2 and probably the newly arrived missionary learnt1 after a little longer experience1 that all ,english manners and customs are not applicable to ,india4 ,the reverse is also true4 ,there is an ,indian kind of free-and-easy manner which is meant to indicate a spirit of friendliness1 which is just as little understood by the ,englishman1 and which he not unfrequently imagines to be intentional rudeness1 and resents accordingly4 ,,chapter ,,xliv ,,night ,,alarms ,,in ,,india ,mortality caused by snake-bite4 ,snakes in the bungalow4 ,the cobra2 how it shows fight4 ,an exciting contest4 ,the night-watchman2 his jingling-stick2 his slumber4 ,village night-scare4 ,supposed dacoits4 ,the village chowdi3 lads sleeping in it4 ,it must be confessed that snakes are one of the drawbacks of country life in ,india1 especially after dark4 ,that they are not an imaginary source of danger is shown by the tremendous total in the annual returns of those killed by snakes in ,british ,india4 ,every year this amounts to about #bj1jjj people4 ,the returns for the last ten years show that1 in spite of the attempt to wage war against snakes1 the toll of casualties does not diminish4 ,the number of snakes killed in a recent year1 for which ,government gave rewards1 amounted to #fc1gai4 ,but in so vast a country the destruction even of so many would make little appreciable difference4 ,although the cobra is an object of worship1 ,indians do not become reconciled to snakes4 ,the cry of sarp--snake--makes almost as great excitement as the cry of fire4 ,you never can be sure where you may not find a snake4 ,once when ,i was coming home in the dark1 there was just light enough to enable me to see a snake travelling up the steps of the verandah into the bungalow1 and ,i was in time to kill it before it hid up4 ,the most uncomfortable situation is when you see a snake go into the house and you cannot find out where he has located himself4 ,a krait1 the most deadly snake in ,india1 in the middle of the day came in at the door of the room in which ,i was sitting reading4 ,it seemed surprised to see me1 and retired behind the door1 where ,i quickly slew him4 ,it was remarkable to see the horror of a cat1 who came in just afterwards and saw the dead body of the snake1 and for a week or two afterwards she would not pass through that room4 ,as we entered the refectory one evening for dinner we saw a large snake vanish out of the back door1 and we found it curled up behind the water-butt4 ,it is impossible to get reliable local information as to which of the snakes are poisonous or not4 ,if you ask an ,indian about the character of any snake he always answers1 ,very bad4 ,but it is the cobra which is really an unpleasant creature to have any dealings with4 ,most other snakes will try and slink into a corner1 or hide up4 ,but the cobra1 if cornered1 shows fight and becomes formidable4 ,he raises himself up a foot or two1 puffs out his mantle1 sways his head about as if he was taking aim1 and strikes with great force to some distance1 according to his size4 ,i do not know if there are any instances recorded of recovery from the bite of a cobra1 but if so1 they are exceedingly rare4 ,early one morning we found a cobra in a sleepy state1 just outside one of the church doors4 ,by his swollen condition it was evident that he was digesting his last meal4 ,it was easy to despatch him with a long bamboo1 which we keep for cobras4 ,but at the first blow he had still energy just to raise his head into the fighting attitude1 when he looks most forbidding4 ,we found inside him a frog1 dead but otherwise in good preservation1 which accounted for his distended and sleepy state4 ,one day1 just after ,evensong1 when the people were coming out of church1 one of the boys heard a hiss1 and saw a cobra in the angle of a buttress4 ,the long bamboo was again equal to the occasion4 ,the village schoolmaster1 returning in the dark with his family after a day's holiday1 heard a hiss as he opened his house door1 and he saw a snake glide down the verandah4 ,but it was too dark to see whether it went away1 or whether it went into one of the other rooms4 ,the process of investigation was rather an embarrassing one4 ,the door of the next room was so situated that a view of the interior could not be got without going inside1 and the snake might have hidden behind the door4 ,after making loud demonstrations in the doorway with the bamboo1 ,i ventured in cautiously1 and by the light of a lantern which the master held1 we saw at the further end of the room under a cot a large cobra1 with its head raised and slowly waving about1 according to its uncanny custom4 ,as it was probable that it would make for the door if attacked1 because there was no other exit1 ,i at once pinned it against the wall with the long bamboo4 ,a fierce contest raged for a few moments4 ,the cobra flung itself hither and thither1 and getting free1 endeavoured to come down the room towards the door4 ,some sage advisers say1 ,hit a snake on the tail and he will die4 ,but when it is twisting about with marvellous rapidity and tying itself into fantastic knots1 there is no time to consider where to hit it4 ,no time is to be lost1 and you must hit it wherever you can4 ,i did so with the cobra1 who presently began to show signs of collapse1 and ,i was able to batter its head and the danger was over4 ,we were grateful that the adventure ended so favourably4 ,we hung up the corpse on a thorn hedge near by1 as a warning to his tribe4 ,but a snake is a dainty morsel to many creatures1 and by the morning it was gone4 ,indians walking noiselessly with bare feet run a special risk1 especially at night when snakes are on the move4 ,but in spite of the number in the ,yerandawana neighbourhood1 ,i have never known a case of snake-bite4 ,they invariably try to get out of the way when they hear anybody coming4 ,the night-watchmen1 who form part of the complicated establishment of most bungalows in ,india as a supposed safeguard against thieves1 often have bits of jingling iron fastened on to the end of the stick which they always carry4 ,the typical night-watchman at any rate once in the course of the night makes his noisy round of the compound1 striking his stick on the ground1 partly in order to frighten away snakes by the rattling of the iron1 and partly to assure his employer of his alertness4 ,it takes a little time before you learn to accept this as only one amongst the many other noises of the ,indian night1 and not to be taken any notice of4 ,if you feel any compunction at resting comfortably in bed while the watchman is abroad1 you will be relieved if you chance to come out at any other hour except that at which he is accustomed to take his little round4 ,you are almost sure to find him sleeping peacefully and soundly in the verandah4 ,possibly in former days1 when night alarms were more frequent and thieves more aggressive than they are now1 the watchman was more on the alert4 ,one night some of the villagers came to ask me to come down into the village and help them in a difficulty4 ,it appeared that for the last three or four nights they had been alarmed by stones being slung into the place from a distance4 ,they fell with considerable force1 and if they had struck anyone he would have been seriously injured4 ,as ,i drew near one or two stones fell on the roofs of some of the houses1 making a great clatter4 ,some people said that four men had been seen hanging about1 wearing trousers and boots and big turbans2 but many tales were afloat1 and none of them very authentic4 ,the theory was that these men were dacoits attempting to terrorise the place1 preparatory to attack and plunder4 ,though this kind of brigandage still survives1 it is no longer common1 especially in the neighbourhood of ,poona1 with its large police force4 ,my own impression was that some larky young fellows from the next village1 which was noted for its rowdiness1 were trying to create a scare for the sake of a joke4 ,we paraded the outskirts of the place1 accompanied by some of the more valiant spirits1 who were armed with long bamboos4 ,they loudly challenged everybody that they met1 and were relieved when the answer was equivalent to a friend4 ,finally we all assembled in the centre of the village in what1 in an ,english town1 would have been the market-place1 opposite to the town-hall4 ,in our case the square was very small1 hemmed in by houses1 according to the crowded arrangement peculiar to most ,indian villages4 ,the town-hall was a low shed1 in which1 in spite of its homely appearance1 all the public ceremonies1 great or small1 take place4 ,it is also the custom in villages1 amongst the ,hindu population1 for the young unmarried men and boys to sleep in this central chowdi1 as it is called1 which is often fairly spacious4 ,the dwelling-houses are thus left free for their parents and sisters4 ,general morality is enforced by the village elders1 except as regards conversation1 and concerning that there is unbridled license4 ,the little market-place was crowded with those brave ones who had perambulated with us1 and the timid ones who had remained inside4 ,in fact1 all the men and big boys of the village were there4 ,everyone had a weapon of some sort4 ,a council of war was held4 ,i suggested that such an assembly of stalwart fellows was a match for any number of thieves4 ,but they said that men of the dacoit class were armed with long knives1 with which they would slash your legs as soon as look at you4 ,i replied that with their long bamboos1 rightly used1 they need not fear knives4 ,someone said that a gun was what was wanted1 and asked if ,i had not got one4 ,i answered that a priest was a man of peace1 and had no need of guns4 ,another said1 would ,i write and ask for police protection8 ,i reminded them of the resentment they had shown on a previous occasion when they thought ,i had been responsible for bringing police into the place4 ,at this juncture the clattering of more stones upon some of the adjoining roofs sent the few women1 who had crept out to listen to our talk1 shrieking into their houses1 while ,i and a rather increased band of braves again explored in the direction from which the stones had come4 ,we met two or three young fellows belonging to the large colony of medicine-men who live in ,yerandawana1 but who do not mix much with the other villagers4 ,they are a roving1 easygoing race1 fond of hunting and drinking1 and with a largely developed element of mischief and fun4 ,i felt a strong suspicion that these young men1 who ,i thought seemed a little embarrassed at meeting me1 could throw light on the mystery4 ,anyhow the stir of that night had the effect of frightening whoever were the authors of the scare1 and there was no repetition of the annoyance4 ,the ,patel1 who as head man of the village ought to have been to the front in a time of difficulty1 was so alarmed at the situation that he made tracks for ,poona1 and did not return until he was assured that peace had been restored4 ,,chapter ,,xlv ,,the ,,indian ,,washerman ,the dhobi1 or washerman4 ,the ,christian dhobi4 ,laundry-work for mission boys2 failure of the enterprise4 ,how the dhobi does his work2 beating the clothes on a stone4 ,relaxations of the dhobi2 his difficulties in the rains2 his standard of honesty2 he learns his trade in childhood2 his bullock4 ,bells on cattle1 useful at night2 melody of the bells4 ,an obstinate bullock a perplexity4 ,motor-cars and bullocks4 ,india is a country in which the washing of clothes is carried out to perfection1 so far as the cleansing and bleaching of the garments is concerned4 ,but it must be confessed that this desirable result is attained at much cost to the garments themselves4 ,the profession of washerman1 or dhobi as he is called1 like most other occupations in ,india1 is chiefly an hereditary one4 ,it is very difficult for anyone outside the dhobi caste to get a footing in the profession4 ,washing is done in the open air in a stream or river1 or on the edge of a tank1 or howd4 ,these washing-places are so jealously guarded by the dhobis that an intruder on their sacred preserves has no chance4 ,at one time it was hoped that dhobi work might prove a useful occupation for those boys of the ,mission who do not shape into carpenters4 ,all the ,mission washing would provide a good means of livelihood for several lads4 ,and in ,india it is men who run the laundry4 ,their womenkind help1 but in almost every case it is the man who is the responsible person4 ,there was at one time a ,christian dhobi in the ,mission4 ,he was a convert from ,hinduism1 and some people were uncharitable enough to suggest that the secret of his conversion was to be found in his hope that it would secure to him the ,mission washing in perpetuity4 ,but1 however this may have been1 he managed to retain his rights as a dhobi after his baptism1 and took his station at the usual washing-place without difficulty4 ,increasing age and his need of assistance first suggested the idea that he might teach his craft to some of the ,mission boys4 ,the attempt was beset with many difficulties4 ,the members of the dhobi caste had tolerated the old convert1 but when they found that he was taking ,christian boys as his pupils they were up in arms1 and put every possible difficulty in their way4 ,a ,hindu dhobi1 who was already doing some of the ,mission washing1 professed to be independent of the prejudices of his fellows1 and volunteered to protect the boys1 and to instruct them in the mysteries of his trade4 ,he persevered gallantly for a while1 but the resentment of his fellows was eventually too much for him4 ,they even put him out of caste1 and that is a punishment which no ,hindu can endure4 ,so1 rather apologetically1 because he had been bold in his protestations of his disregard of public opinion1 he told us that he would not be able to continue to instruct our boys4 ,they tried to carry on the work on their own account1 and though exposed to a good deal of petty persecution from the ,hindu dhobis1 they managed to assert their right to wash clothes in the stream4 ,but they had not been under instruction long enough to really learn the art1 and without any competent person to take the lead1 their efforts soon became so unsatisfactory that the industry had to be unwillingly abandoned4 ,the ,indian dhobi always1 by preference1 washes clothes in a stream of running water where such is to be had4 ,some municipalities1 where there is an adequate water-supply at their disposal1 have made artificial arrangements of this nature1 with water running from taps into small tanks where the dhobis stand and wash4 ,but they much prefer the river4 ,many of the ,indian rivers for a large part of the year provide just the conditions which the dhobi loves4 ,the water is generally reduced to a modest stream1 running amongst rocks and stones1 with deep pools here and there1 and long stretches of dry sand or gravel1 or even green grass1 on which the clothes can be spread to bleach4 ,the dhobi stands in the stream and rinses the linen in the running water1 sometimes using a little soap4 ,but his real agent for cleansing consists of large smooth stones belonging to the river-bed1 which lie handy or which he has fished out1 and on these he dashes the wet garments4 ,as ,i write at ,khandala ,i hear the dhobi in the stream just below1 busy with repeated flagellations which resound loudly4 ,as ,i saw him take up a pair of pyjamas ,i watched the whole process carefully4 ,he rinsed them for a short time in the stream4 ,he then kneaded them slightly on the stone and rinsed them again4 ,then doubling the garments into a long roll which he held by one end1 he raised it high above his head and dashed it with all his strength on the stone about eighteen times4 ,when the water had been beaten out he again dipped the roll into the stream and resumed his flagellations4 ,he repeated this process six times1 so that by the time he had finished and the pyjamas were added to the pile of washed clothes1 they had been beaten on the stone more than a hundred times4 ,the process effectually expels all the dirt1 but the amount of literal wear and tear to which the garment is exposed can easily be imagined4 ,mother-of-pearl shirt-buttons fare badly under this treatment1 and for this reason are not much used in ,india4 ,the scorching sun is another purifying element4 ,under its bleaching influence the well-washed garments become white as snow1 and have that refreshing fragrance of complete cleanliness which an ,indian resident misses when at home and he has to receive his washing from an ,english laundry4 ,the ordinary ,indian dhobis only iron the clothes by smoothing them over with their hands1 but the more accomplished artists use large and heavy box-irons1 which are heated by filling the box with hot ashes4 ,the dhobis who are experienced in getting up linen for ,english residents do so with great skill1 and accomplish successfully the most elaborate tasks4 ,washing is very cheap1 like most things in ,india which depend on labour4 ,the usual custom is to pay so much a month1 for which sum you may send to the wash as many articles as you like4 ,in ,poona ,city ,rs4 #b is the usual monthly payment--that is to say1 #bs4 #h;d4 in ,english money1--but ,indians who employ a dhobi pay much less4 ,it will be seen that laundry work done in ,indian fashion is very laborious2 but the dhobis are a cheerful race1 and many of them make a good deal of money4 ,their chief relaxation seems to be an occasional social evening1 which extends till the next morning4 ,liquor flows freely on these occasions1 and as the evening progresses the uproar increases1 and before the party finally breaks up a war of many words generally ends in some1 or all of the guests1 having a free fight1 which1 however1 is generally without bloodshed and does not apparently hinder the resumption of friendly relationships the next day4 ,the dhobi's time of trial is the rainy season1 when he pursues his trade under great difficulties4 ,the modest stream of clear water1 so well suited to his purpose1 has developed into a rolling river of muddy water4 ,his smooth stones1 his gravelly shoals1 the banks of green grass1 are now buried deep in a foaming torrent4 ,the air is laden with moisture1 and violent rain falls repeatedly4 ,he lives in a miserable hut1 with none of the appliances which we are accustomed to see in laundries4 ,his artificial means for drying clothes are of the most primitive character1 and his customers are clamouring for their garments1 and abusing him because he is behindhand4 ,in a country where integrity in matters of trade is rare1 it is not to be expected that the dhobi's standard of honesty will be higher than that of other people1 and the nature of his employment gives facilities for petty dishonesty3 such as exchanging old handkerchiefs for new1 or not bringing back the same number of garments as he took away4 ,but even when his intentions are good1 it makes it the more difficult to return the washing correctly that the ,english markings on the clothes are to him only so many cabalistic signs1 merely to be recognised by their general appearance4 ,and as the dhobi often finds himself misled in his attempt to follow this uncertain guide1 he adopts signs of his own for his regular customers1 and with coloured thread1 or even ink1 makes marks on the clothes intelligible to himself1 and not always conducive to the appearance of the garment4 ,from a merely utilitarian point of view there are some advantages in the fact that certain trades are practically confined to the members of certain castes4 ,a dhobi1 for instance1 does not expect or aspire to be anything different4 ,hence he begins to learn his craft almost from infancy4 ,again1 as ,i write1 ,i can see in the stream below a busy family of three generations of dhobis4 ,the grandfather is grey-haired1 and though taking a good share of the work is obviously getting into old age1 although probably not much over fifty4 ,but for most ,indians that means old age4 ,his son is a hale man in the prime of life4 ,two or three women1 the wives of one or other1 or of each1 are assisting4 ,but there is a little grandson about three or four years old4 ,he still walks rather unsteadily on bowed legs4 ,he is already absorbed in learning the mysteries of his ancestral trade4 ,he is given a pair of stockings to wash1 and1 small as he is1 he copies exactly the actions of his parents4 ,he rinses the stocking in the water1 beats it on the stone so far as his limited supply of strength will allow1 rinses it again1 beats it again1 and finally casts it on one side when the process is complete1 as he sees his father do4 ,he is almost a full-fledged dhobi as soon as he has learned to talk and walk4 ,not being very great at the latter accomplishment1 he rides home on the bullock1 which is a necessary part of the stock and trade of every prosperous dhobi4 ,the bullock carries the clothes1 which are formed into a sort of huge bolster1 which1 when put on the back of the bullock1 nearly touches the ground on either side4 ,bullocks almost invariably have a bell hung round their necks4 ,when cattle are out grazing the bell is useful1 because it serves to indicate their whereabouts when they have strayed4 ,they also follow more or less the sound of one anothers' bells1 so that they tend to keep a flock or herd together4 ,the bells on the bullocks which are employed in road traffic have a practical use1 because1 when travelling by night1 the proximity of a bullock-cart is often first indicated in the dark by the tinkling of the bells4 ,these are often two or three inches in diameter1 and in the comparative stillness of night can be heard at some distance4 ,when a string of a dozen or more bullock-carts follow each other in close succession the jingling of the bells rings out cheerfully4 ,in fact1 an additional reason why people like to have bells on their bullocks is that the ,hindu is mostly timid at night1 and the sound of the bells is a kind of companionship1 and may do something towards warning off evil spirits4 ,when a number of bells are tinkling at the same time they are naturally not always in tune with one another1 and discordant combinations may result1 especially when the bells of two bullocks yoked together are much out of tune4 ,but if you listen critically to each bell1 when a row of carts is passing1 you will every now and then hear one of a peculiarly rich and mellow sound4 ,i once tried to persuade a man to sell a melodious bell which ,i heard by chance as he drove by1 but he would not entertain the idea for a moment4 ,perhaps he thought that it would be unlucky to part with it4 ,that the bullocks themselves get to look upon the bell as a necessary accompaniment to work1 has been often noticed4 ,an ,englishman travelling by night in a bullock-cart found that the ceaseless jingling of the bells kept him awake1 and he ordered them to be removed4 ,but when the sound ceased the beasts took it as an indication that work was over1 and promptly lay down1 and no further progress was made till the bells had been restored4 ,an ,indian bullock is for the most part a docile and long-suffering creature4 ,but he makes up for his usual good behaviour when he happens to get annoyed4 ,he is not unlike his ,indian master in this respect4 ,if a bullock lies down and refuses to do his work1 no amount of persuasion will induce him to change his mind4 ,natives even go so far as to light straw under him when all other efforts to make him budge fail4 ,more often1 when blows and energetic tail-twistings have no effect on him1 the beast has to be humoured in some way4 ,his mind is often restored to its normal equilibrium by inducing him to change places with his yoke-fellow1 or with a bullock in another cart4 ,the eventualities of road traffic do not usually disturb the placidity of the bullock1 but if he once gets frightened and loses his head1 he gives way to unmitigated panic4 ,the first appearance of the motor-car1 which is now almost as common in parts of ,india as it is in ,england1 reduced many bullocks to a state of abject terror4 ,fortunately most mishaps with bullock-carts are not very serious in their results4 ,the cart is not easily broken1 and is quickly righted4 ,but having occasion to travel in a public motor-car through a country district where the car was then a novelty1 it was alarming to see the state of chaos which we were constantly leaving in our rear4 ,the theory of the driver of the car was that1 if bullocks are frightened1 the best course is to dash past quickly and get it over4 ,the result was not altogether a success4 ,the fact that a horrible monster had sped by was sufficient to produce panic1 and the first impulse of the bullock was to rush off the road to some place of safety4 ,in ,india it is easy to go off the track at any point1 because there is often neither wall nor hedge1 and the surrounding country may be uneven and intersected with beds of streams and deep hollows4 ,in the course of our journey ,i saw a bullock-cart swerve off the road and fall bottom upwards into a field on a much lower level4 ,anyone unfamiliar with bullock-cart accidents would expect much more disastrous results from such a mishap than was probably actually the case2 but ,i saw the tragedy when we were already far ahead1 and our driver of course never saw it at all4 ,consternation was excited in the traffic ahead of us by the hoot of the car4 ,drivers1 who had already experienced the effect of a motor-car on their beasts1 leapt from their cart1 and hastily urging the bullocks to the side of the road1 stood in front of them and blind-folded their eyes with their garments so that they might not see the apparition tearing by4 ,after a little familiarity with motors1 the philosophic ,indian bullock soon gets to regard them with supreme indifference4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi ,,agriculture ,,in ,,india ,agricultural colleges4 ,indian soil exhausted2 need of chemical manures4 ,signs of progress among farmers4 ,the city sweepings4 ,sugar cane2 hospitalities connected with it2 we are invited2 our reception2 the juice from the cane2 its produce in other forms4 ,potatoes4 ,the ,indian evening2 its rapid approach4 ,return of the cattle4 ,the ,government of ,india are spending large sums on agricultural research4 ,they have a ,college of ,agriculture on an extensive scale at ,pusa1 in ,bengal1 and another big college near ,poona has just been completed4 ,these handsome buildings1 with their chemical laboratories1 lecture rooms1 and ,english professors1 seem at the first glance strangely remote from the homely farmer in his native village1 and the first inclination is to suggest that these colleges will only produce a crop of ornamental figure-heads1 who will graduate in agriculture1 but who will make no practical use of the knowledge which they have acquired4 ,but the aim of these colleges is not quite so visionary as one might think4 ,the ,government realises that it will be long before the influence of the college reaches the small farmer in his village4 ,the real point is that the soil of ,india is worn out through continued cropping without manuring1 and it now only yields a small percentage of what it might produce1 if properly treated4 ,farmyard manure1 such as the ,english farmer so largely depends upon for the enrichment of his land1 does not exist in ,india4 ,this is partly because the cattle are roaming about all day1 and as a rule are only gathered into sheds at night2 partly because the coarse stalks of the native kinds of grain are not suitable for stable litter like ,english straw2 but chiefly because the droppings from the cattle are made up into flat cakes and dried in the sun1 which are then used as fuel in conjunction with a certain amount of wood4 ,this custom is so rooted that it would be hopeless to try and modify it4 ,nor indeed is there any other fuel available4 ,it is long before coal will find its way into common use for cooking purposes4 ,the moral of this is1 that the only solution of the problem is to be found in the introduction of chemical manure4 ,but this can only be done effectually after prolonged experiments4 ,in a country so vast and so varied as ,india the varieties of soil are great1 and the climatic conditions manifold4 ,all sorts of different crops are grown4 ,hence the experiments necessary to find out how this variety is to be successfully treated must be spread over a long period of time1 and results can only be arrived at gradually4 ,even in the process of irrigation1 which at one time appeared to be such a simple matter1 because where an ample supply of water could be secured the genial sun seemed to do all the rest1 the lapse of years is revealing the fact that repeated irrigation produces certain deleterious chemical changes in the soil1 which might ultimately become disastrous to the production of the crop4 ,hence experiments have to be made to determine to what extent irrigation must be restricted1 and how the adverse chemical conditions can be counteracted4 ,when facts have been ascertained1 their dissemination and acceptance is another problem4 ,to accomplish this a good deal of the pioneer work1 as with most progressive steps in ,india1 must be done by ,englishmen4 ,indians1 however well instructed1 would not be listened to in the first instance with confidence by their fellow-countrymen4 ,they would suspect that self-interest was at the back of their advice1 and the chemical manure which they recommended would1 on that account1 be distrusted4 ,hence1 at present1 a good many of the lecturers1 and even some of the inspectors who are to travel in the districts to advise and assist the farmers in agricultural matters1 have to be ,englishmen4 ,but it is hoped that their places will gradually be taken by those ,indians whom they are now instructing4 ,although farmers all the world over are conservative and opposed to novelties1 they generally end by adopting improvements when they have realised that they are remunerative4 ,yerandawana village being close to ,poona ,city1 the farmers can procure for their land the street sweepings1 which are sold by the municipality at so much a load4 ,the farmers see the difference between land which has been manured and that which has not4 ,they spend1 what is to them1 large sums of money on this litter1 and they do so readily because they find that they are abundantly repaid by the increase in their crops4 ,street sweepings and city litter can1 of course1 only be procured in the immediate vicinity of large towns1 and it is limited in quantity1 so that this kind of manure does not go far in enriching the impoverished ,indian soil4 ,if farmers are able to see that chemical manure produces the same result as the litter1 it is reasonable to suppose that in process of time they would be equally ready to buy the new agent4 ,sugar cane is undoubtedly the most beautiful in appearance of all ,indian crops2 and when the cane is being converted into raw sugar1 this is one of the most animated rural sights4 ,the process takes place in the open air in a corner of the field itself1 or else close by4 ,although it involves plenty of work and all is stir and bustle1 it is a time which the workers enjoy4 ,they encamp on the spot1 and it is a sort of prolonged picnic4#c ,footnote #c3 ,the process has been fully described in ,indian ,jottings1 p4 #bec4 ,it is a pleasant custom amongst the sugar-cane growers to invite little parties of friends to come to the plantation to drink the fresh juice1 and other uninvited guests are apt to stroll round in the hope of getting something4 ,the code of hospitality amongst ,indians being such a liberal one1 even the palpable cadgers are not sent away empty4 ,apparently every visitor to any garden must be made to take away some tangible memento of his visit1 if it be only a single flower4 ,one of the leading farmers in ,yerandawana was1 from the first1 very adverse to the intrusion of the ,mission into the village4 ,he did not openly oppose1 but when at intervals the villagers got suspicious and cooled off in their friendly advances1 it was known that it was largely due to the influence of this ,hindu4 ,but time gradually does its beneficent work of pacification1 and there came indications of friendly advances on the part of ,bulwantrao himself4 ,finally his eldest son called one afternoon and asked two of us to go that evening to his sugar-cane plantation1 so that he might entertain us1 and he said that eight of the ,mission boys might come with us4 ,we gladly accepted the invitation1 and went to the appointed place at sunset4 ,the pleasant scent as we drew near was reminiscent of jam-making in old days at home1 and the process was somewhat similar4 ,bulwantrao's son1 ,rama1 a coarse-featured lad with a raucous voice1 welcomed us heartily4 ,the ,indian father usually drops into the background if his all-important eldest son is present1 and lets him do the honours even when he is quite a boy4 ,this is a pleasing feature of ,indian family life1 and the father evidently feels great pleasure in seeing his son and heir exercising the privileges of his position4 ,a brown country blanket was spread for us to sit upon1 and ,rama gave orders concerning us4 ,one of his men brought some of the raw sugar in a brass bowl1 just after it had cooled and consolidated4 ,presumably this bowl was dedicated to the use of unclean persons like ourselves1 otherwise our touching it would have made it useless for their own purposes2 except that there are now so many exceptions to the old rules of greater strictness1 that perhaps the usual polish with earth might be considered a sufficient purification4 ,it was a pleasure to eat sugar which one knew for certain was free from all taint of adulteration4 ,meanwhile several lads and boys had harnessed themselves to the mill which presses out the juice of the sugar cane1 in place of the bullocks who had gone off duty1 and with great energy and much fun and laughter1 made it revolve until enough juice had been pressed out for our refreshment4 ,the sugar cane1 looking and feeling like a thick bamboo walking-stick1 does not suggest itself as an object from which juice could be extracted1 but it pours out in streams as soon as the stalk comes between the rollers of the mill4 ,a lemon was squeezed into the bowl of juice1 which we were told greatly improves its flavour1 and then we had a most refreshing drink4 ,it was sweet and cool1 but not sickly4 ,there are places in ,poona ,city where this drink can be obtained in its season for a farthing a glass1 special crushing-mills being erected for the purpose4 ,it is essential that the juice should be freshly procured1 because if left to stand it quickly ferments1 and it is then very intoxicating4 ,we were next given some of the syrup out of the big pan which had just been taken off the fire4 ,when poured into the moulds prepared for the purpose it consolidates as it cools4 ,but it was rather like toffee at the stage when they put a lump of it into the palms of our hands1 and as it was extremely sticky1 it was a difficult matter getting rid of the after-effects2 those who habitually use their fingers for all purposes appear to acquire the knack of doing so without getting their fingers into a mess4 ,finally we were all provided with long sticks of the cane to take home with us1 and this was the part of the entertainment which the boys valued most4 ,but as teeth have to do the work of the crushing-mill1 it was only the younger members of the party who were able to make personal use of the parting gift4 ,we were also invited to look at ,bulwantrao's gardens1 and though the tidiness which distinguishes a cared-for ,english garden was missing1 they were highly cultivated and contained a varied assortment4 ,people of one country do not take readily to the natural productions of another country1 especially their vegetables1 but potatoes have become popular in ,india1 in spite of their being small and tasteless4 ,they are sold in all the native bazaars1 and the poorer people buy them largely4 ,bulwantrao's garden was an illustration of what may be accomplished by intelligent cultivation under the influence of the heat of the tropics1 combined with irrigation and manure4 ,we were of course given specimens of such fruit and vegetables as were in season4 ,darkness was rapidly taking the place of sunshine as we returned from this pleasant visit4 ,there is a special charm about evening-tide in all parts of the world1 and ,india is no exception2 although evening in that country is peculiar and distinctive1 and has the drawback that the twilight of the tropics is so brief4 ,you are reading a book with ease1 and ten minutes afterwards you can scarcely distinguish a letter4 ,the sudden fall of night resembles the gloom produced by the rapid gathering of clouds before a thunderstorm in ,england1 and gives for the moment a certain sense of sadness4 ,in the last half-hour before sunset you see people hurrying along the roads and the many footpaths which intersect each other all over ,india1 in order to get home before dark4 ,the cattle which have been feeding all day on the hills and jungle lands come straggling home1 and they respond slowly to the call for hurry1 urged upon them forcibly by their young attendants4 ,if you happen to be in one of the narrow gullies of a village just at the time when the cattle are coming home1 the position is an embarrassing one4 ,there is scarcely room for them to pass1 and they eye a stranger with suspicion4 ,they turn in at their respective doorways as if they were the owners1 and there is not much distinction between the quarters allotted to them and the dwelling-place of the family4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii ,,east ,,and ,,west ,,on ,,board ,,ship ,christians and ,hindu customs4 ,the carpentry instructor2 ,a taint of ,hinduism2 he retains his pigtail4 ,indians on their way to ,europe2 perplexities about bath and food4 ,the ,jain sect2 their views4 ,the ,sikhs4 ,going to ,germany for ,sanskrit4 ,conversation of ,english-speaking ,hindus4 ,indians on deck4 ,east and ,west pull together4 ,no room for the theosophist4 ,some missionaries advocate the retention by ,christian converts of such ,hindu customs as are not directly connected with idolatry1 especially in connection with marriage ceremonies4 ,others maintain that it is impossible really to distinguish between what is innocent and what is not1 and that the only safe course is to come out altogether and be separate4 ,the elaborate restrictions concerning food1 given to the children of ,israel1 were apparently chiefly designed to prevent them from mixing socially with the idolatrous people with whom they were surrounded1 lest they should drop back into any of the old evil ways4 ,for the same reason it would seem necessary in ,india for the ,christian convert to separate himself from everything which is in any way distinctive of ,hinduism1 quite apart from whether the thing itself is harmful or not4 ,it is certain that lapses back to ,hinduism have been most frequent amongst ,christians of those ,missions where the laxer view has prevailed4 ,an illustration somewhat to the point may be found in the case of the carpentry instructor in the ,poona ,city ,mission1 who was a convert from ,hinduism4 ,he received the name of ,bhumya at his baptism--his full name being ,bhumya ,virappa ,chondikar4 ,the second name was that of his father1 which1 according to ,hindu custom1 is always borne by the son1 and the last was his family or surname4 ,he did not improve his financial status by becoming a ,christian4 ,he was carpenter-master before1 and continued to be so for many years afterwards4 ,but his change of religion cut him off from any possibility of inheritance from ,hindu relations1 of whom he had several in rather prosperous circumstances4 ,it also made such a ferment in his own household1 where he had a wife and mother-in-law and little son1 that he had to leave his home and lodge elsewhere so that he might not pollute them1 as they would express it1 by eating with them4 ,two years after his own baptism1 however1 he had the joy of seeing his wife and now two little children1 baptized1 and the home life was happily resumed4 ,eventually even his mother-in-law became a ,christian4 ,but in spite of his own undoubted earnestness1 his devout use of the sacraments1 his constant attendance at all the services of the church1 a sort of taint of ,hinduism clung to him all through life and to some extent dimmed his ,christian joy1 and prevented his example1 in many ways so edifying1 from bearing the fruit that might otherwise have been the case4 ,none of his numerous ,hindu friends were led to ,christianity through his influence1 and none of his own relations followed his example1 nor was it possible to use him much in evangelistic work1 in spite of his readiness to help4 ,he had a theory that ,christianity had somehow been evolved out of ,hinduism1 and though even his intimate friends could never get to the bottom of his strange ideas1 his preaching was sufficiently unorthodox to make it necessary that he should be a silent member of the preaching party in the streets of the city4 ,the retention of ,hindu ideas which thus warped his ,christian life1 and prevented it from influencing his fellow-countrymen as it otherwise might have done1 may partly be accounted for by the fact that he not only retained in every particular after his baptism the outward garb of a ,hindu and wore no ,christian symbol1 but his partially shaved head1 and rather long pigtail which he continued to wear1 were so definitely the outward tokens of ,hinduism that he was often taken for a ,hindu1 and several people at various times were startled to see a heathen man1 as they thought1 collecting the alms in church4 ,the chief moral value of ,bhumya's life is to be found in the fact that1 in spite of ,hindu memories continuing to have some mysterious attraction for him1 he was both in life and death unswerving and unshaken in his allegiance to ,christianity4 ,certainly a ,p4 ,o4 steamer can no longer be described as a white man's ship1 as the young officer expressed it when he complained of the presence of ,indians on board4 ,the number of ,easterns who go to ,europe for educational and other purposes increases so rapidly that they now form a distinct element on many steamers4 ,one autumn when coming to ,england1 half the passengers in the second saloon were ,easterns on their way westwards1 chiefly for educational purposes1 and travelling at that season in order to be in time for the classes and colleges1 which begin their new course or term in ,october4 ,we calculated that there were nearly twenty different languages being talked amongst us1 and there were few phases of religion unrepresented4 ,in the first saloon were a few wealthy ,indian lads on their way to ,english public schools1 clad in the most approved ,english boys' dress1 and nearly all these travellers were in full ,european costume1 though a few retained the turban4 ,some of the combinations of colour in the shape of socks and ties were rather startling4 ,but ,indians quickly correct any mistakes of this kind after they have reached ,england1 and have had time to observe what well-dressed people usually wear4 ,many of them were at first in great perplexity how to perform their ablutions in ,english baths1 and the first morning or two they might be seen wandering about in the region of the baths with anxious faces4 ,but they somehow found some solution to their difficulties1 and ultimately distracted the man in charge of the baths by staying in long beyond the regulation ten minutes4 ,too long1 ,i heard the bathman say to one of these ,indian gentlemen1 who had been taking his bath in the leisurely fashion to which he had been accustomed in his own home4 ,not too long1 was the laconic reply4 ,the question of food is also a cause of great anxiety to some4 ,we are vegetarians1 ,i heard one of them say to a ship's steward as he entered the saloon for his first meal1 and the puzzled steward went off to consult his superiors as to what was to be done4 ,but as the mere fact of crossing the seas to a foreign country constitutes a breach of caste1 according to strict ,hindu law1 which will have to be atoned for on return1 further breaches do not make much difference1 and many of these travellers appear to enjoy their newly found liberty and eat freely all that is set before them1 except that beef and pork are respectively avoided by ,hindus and ,mohammedans4 ,modern-minded ,hindus even contend that to cross the seas does not break caste1 and that their sacred writings support this view1 and the matter has become the subject of long-drawn-out litigation by aggrieved ,hindus who have been out-casted on their return from foreign travel4 ,one of the voyagers belonged to the ,jain sect amongst the ,hindus1 who take the most elaborate precautions to avoid even the accidental destruction of the smallest animal life4 ,he had been prudent enough to bring a ,jain with him to act as his cook2 but this man becoming completely incapacitated by sea-sickness1 his employer had to fall back upon such stores of dry food as he had with him1 until the cook recovered4 ,indians are not good sailors1 and a very moderate sea sent most of them to the seclusion of their cabins4 ,this ,jain was going to ,london to become a barrister4 ,he told me that his sect believes in the immortality of ,god1 the soul1 and matter4 ,hence the two last are as indestructible as the first4 ,the world1 therefore1 will always exist1 and each soul will continue to be transmigrated for any number of ages until it gets absorbed into ,god4 ,not to lead an exemplary life involves the unpleasant risk of reappearing in some debased form1 and also delays the realisation of the final absorption4 ,their particularity about the taking of life presumably arises from the possibility that if you destroy even the humblest insect it may be a relation who has unfortunately had to assume this form1 and causes even eggs to be classed amongst forbidden articles1 because they contain the germ of life4 ,three brothers1 ,sikhs1 kept in their little inside cabin almost all the voyage1 with the door and ventilators generally closed1 and seemed perfectly content1 except when prostrated by sea-sickness4 ,they took all their meals there1 and they were heard imploring their steward to be careful not to bring them any beef4 ,the smallness and stuffiness of their cabin perhaps recalled pleasantly their ,indian home4 ,they talked and laughed the whole day1 and would have certainly done so half the night1 except that the ,english occupant of the next cabin called upon them at bedtime and suggested that having talked all day it might be well for the sake of others to devote the night to sleep1 and they cheerfully and courteously accepted the hint4 ,now and then1 if it was very fine and smooth1 they came on deck1 but held no intercourse with the other ,indian passengers1 and played cards most of the time4 ,they wore ,european coats and shirts1 the tails of the latter being worn outside according to ,indian custom4 ,their legs were cased in the white breeches peculiar to their race1 very baggy in the upper part1 but fitting so close below that the problem of how they get into them remains a mystery4 ,on their heads were immense and picturesque white turbans4 ,it was touching to see the extent to which the elder brother was looked up to1 with that delightful combination of affection and respect characteristic of this particular relationship in ,india4 ,they were gentle1 courteous people1 and everybody liked them4 ,an ,indian1 who called himself a ,parsee1 but there was reason to think that he was really a ,bengali ,hindu1 was on his way to ,germany to learn ,sanskrit4 ,as ,india is its home1 although it is no longer a spoken language1 except that ,sanskrit words are found in many vernaculars1 it appeared strange that an ,indian should be travelling westwards in order to learn an ,eastern language4 ,but he explained that the ,indian ,pundits1 or teachers1 though they know ,sanskrit1 have no knowledge of how to teach it1 and with characteristic disregard for the value of time1 spend at least six years in teaching what1 with more rational methods1 might be learnt in two4 ,in ,germany this ,indian hoped to see the most up-to-date way of teaching languages1 and then he proposed to return to ,india and introduce the modern system in the college of which he said he was professor of ,sanskrit4 ,passing alongside the ,italian coast1 he said to me3 ,i hope very much to see ,italy before ,i return to my own country4 ,i understand that the ,italian cathedrals are very beautiful1 and a cathedral always appeals to me very strongly4 ,i should also like to see ,assisi4 ,the character of ,s4 ,francis has great charms for me4 ,i said that1 with ideas such as these1 he ought to be a ,christian4 ,possibly1 he replied2 ,i have the greatest veneration for ,christ as the greatest among prophets4 ,english-speaking ,hindus1 however1 have a remarkable power of adapting their sentiments to their society4 ,i overheard the same man contrasting1 for the benefit of a young ,egyptian1 the way in which famine is dealt with in a native state and by the ,government of ,india1 by which it would appear that whereas the former did everything1 the latter did nothing4 ,in the saloon the ,indians naturally gathered to their own tables1 but in fine weather they entered into the usual deck life of a liner1 sat about in deck-chairs1 made some show of reading1 chiefly ,english light literature1 made an attempt at the stereotyped deck games1 played cards largely1 and discovered that lemon-squash was a cooling drink1 and those who could afford it went in for it often4 ,they nearly all of them knew exactly where they were going to in ,london1 and expected to be met by friends or relations already there4 ,there are also many agencies and individuals who are ready to interest themselves in these young students1 and to help them with advice and sympathy when they are willing to accept it4 ,there are now quite a number of ,indian houses in ,london where students lodge1 and where they can arrange to have their food served in orthodox fashion4 ,a few of these houses have at times become centres of mischief1 and have had to be kept under observation4 ,the ,indians on board lived very much in cliques1 just as they do in their own country1 and with few exceptions there was but little general interchange of ideas amongst themselves4 ,curiously enough1 the connecting link was to be found in the ,english population on board1 who mixed with them all good-humouredly4 ,that it is possible for ,east and ,west to meet on equal terms1 and to dine in the same room if not at the same table1 and to get on happily in daily intercourse1 was proved by the pleasant way in which1 within the narrow limits of a ship's second-class quarters1 everybody managed to pull together4 ,it was also a satisfactory feature of this medley of races and religions that the only person for whom there was no place1 and who finally got sent to ,coventry1 was an ,englishwoman who professed to be a theosophist4 ,,index ,affection1 #ae ,agricultural experiments1 #cbi ,agriculture1 #cbh2 colleges of1 #cbh ,animals1 #agf ,antelope1 #agg ,anthony1 ,st41 #bde ,ants1 #aia2 white1 #aia ,architecture1 ,indian view of1 #ag ,art1 #fj2 degenerating1 #fj2 ,christian1 #fd ,artists1 ,indian1 #fc ,ascetics1 #c1 #aif1 #aii2 maxims for1 #aff ,band1 native1 #ajb1 #adj2 ,english1 #ajb2 ,europe1 #ajb ,baptism1 #bc1 #cch2 ,nonconformist laxity concerning1 #e1 #hf ,barbel tree1 #aig ,barber1 #bga ,bath1 #aaj1 #bij1 #bic1 #cda ,beasts1 wild1 #agj ,bees1 #aij ,beetles1 #ahi ,beggars1 feasts to1 #ab2 ,hindu religious1 #bja ,bells1 bullocks'1 #cbd ,benson1 ,father1 #aef ,bhumya1 his conversion1 #cch ,bible1 quoted by ,hindus1 #d ,bile polar1 festival for cattle1 #bde ,bin1 musical instrument1 #aja ,birds1 #ahe1 #ahg2 scaring1 #bga ,bishop1 ,indian1 #ic ,blacksmiths1 #bga ,blasting1 #bfa ,blister beetle1 #ahi ,bookbinding1 #aej ,books in ,india1 #adc1 #adh2 prayer1 #add1 #adi2 price of1 #adi ,boundary stones1 #bba1 #bec ,boy1 ,indian1 #afa1 #afc1 #afh1 #aib ,brahmins1 #hd1 #he1 #afd1 #bfe2 ladies1 #bc2 thread1 #abb ,brain-fever bird1 #ahe ,brass1 its polish1 #fb ,bread1 #aji ,bribes1 #bif2 on the railway1 #bif2 in trade1 #bih ,buffalo1 #agi2 the dead1 #ga ,bugs1 #aib ,bullocks1 #cbd1 #cbe2 drawing water1 #ih ,bungalow1 #bib1 #big ,burial1 #ga1 #bfh ,butterflies1 #aie ,camels1 #aha ,card-playing1 #aag ,caretaker1 the faithful1 #bh2 his contentment1 #bi2 his prayers1 #cj ,carpenters1 #bga ,carpets1 #gh ,caste1 #afg1 #baj1 #bgh2 breach of1 #afh1 #bcg1 #cda ,catholic ,church1 #hh1 #if ,cattle1 festival for1 #bde ,cemetery1 ,christian1 #bfc2 consecrated1 #bfg2 ,cross1 #bfg2 ,hindu1 #agc ,chairs1 #ef ,character1 ,indian1 #bd1 #ij1 #aeg1 #bdi1 #bed1 #bhi2 shallow1 #aeh1 #afj1 #aff ,cheating labourers1 #bf1 #cj1 #ca ,choir-boys1 #ajd ,chowdi1 #bae2 sleeping in1 #cad ,christian art1 #fd1 #fe ,christian ,indians1 #e1 #ae1 #bji1 #bbf2 their hospitality1 #ac1 #dc2 honesty1 #bdb2 respect for their mother1 #ad2 dress for1 #da2 their expenses1 #db2 their unpunctuality1 #ea2 their meals1 #ef1 #bcf2 panchayat1 #fh2 their happiness1 #aae2 their prayer books1 #add1 #adi2 houses1 #bed1 #bee ,church at ,yerandawana1 #ai-bc1 #abf1 #aee1 #bhb ,clarke1 ,sir ,george1 #ajc ,clergy1 ,indian1 #hi1 #ij1 #ia1 #ib ,clerk1 ,hindu village1 #bbc1 #bbd1 #bec ,cobra1 #cji1 #caj ,cockroaches1 #aij ,cold1 #bge2 ,indians sensitive to1 #bgf ,collectors1 #hj1 #bcj ,comfort1 increase of1 #bii1 #cja ,confessions to police1 #bag ,confirmation1 #id ,conversion of ,india1 #hc2 of ,brahmins1 #hd1 #he2 of low castes1 #he2 in famine time1 #he ,cooking1 particular about1 #ajh2 pots1 #ef1 #bga2 graceful shape of1 #fa ,court1 ,high1 #bab2 petty1 #bab2 ,police1 #bad2 ,registrar's1 #bfe ,courtesy of ,indians1 #bca ,cricket1 #acj1 #bhe ,crime1 #bag1 #bah ,crispin1 ,st41 church of1 #fe1 #bff ,crocodiles1 #ahb ,cross1 ,southern1 #ahb ,crows1 #ahg ,customs of ,east and ,west1 #bcd1 #bci1 #bhd1 #bid ,dacoits1 #cad1 #cae ,dance1 nautch1 #gf1 #gi2 religious1 #aee1 #aef ,dasara1 ,hindu festival1 #bdd ,daughter-in-law1 #baj1 #baa ,deer1 #agg ,defects of ,indians1 #b ,delhi1 #agg1 #aha1 #aif1 #aih2 declaration at1 #afb ,delhi ,mission ,news1 #f ,dhobie1 washerman1 #dc1 #cag2 ,christian1 #cah ,dhota1 ,hindu garment1 #da1 #dd1 #ee1 #gi1 #aic1 #aih1 #bhd ,dishonesty1 ,hindu1 #bg1 #big ,dissenters1 #bhi ,donkey1 #agi ,drawing1 #ah1 #bha ,dress1 ,english1 #dj1 #da1 #db1 #bcf1 #bia1 #cjj1 #cja2 ,indian1 #da1 #dd1 #de1 #df1 #fe1 #bcf2 policeman's1 #df ,east and ,west1 customs of1 #bcd1 #bci1 #bhd1 #bid2 travelling1 #bbh1 #bcd2 on board ship1 #bca1 #ccg1 #cdj1 #cdf ,education1 #hd2 mistaken1 #adf1 #bhc2 effects of1 #bdg1 #bhf2 rational1 #bhc ,elephants1 #ahj ,employers of labour1 #bd ,english1 dress1 #dj1 #da1 #db1 #eg1 #cdc2 workers1 #ie2 letters in1 #add2 advertisements in1 #ade2 literature for ,indians1 #adf2 the1 in ,india1 #bhh1 #bib ,entertainments1 #gd ,european customs1 #dj2 control1 #hi2 compartment1 #bcb2 goods1 #bhj ,evening-tide1 #cce ,eye-fly1 #aid ,face1 ,hindu1 #aae1 #bjh ,fakir1 #aif ,famine1 #he ,feasts1 to beggars1 #ab2 village1 #ach ,fiction1 ,india in1 #adc ,fingers1 eating with1 #bcf ,fire-flies1 #ahc ,flattery1 #aai ,flies1 #aid ,flowers1 offerings of1 #ah ,food1 #ajg ,frost1 #bgf ,fuel1 #cbi ,furniture1 #gh ,games1 #acj1 #bhe ,garlands1 #ai1 #ha1 #bcj ,gifts1 #bfc1 #bfh ,gods1 ,hindu1 #c1 #abj2 conception of1 #aai1 #abj2 burial of1 #aah2 robbery of1 #aah ,golden ,threshold1 ,the1 #aaa ,gosavies1 #aih ,government officials1 #bda ,governors1 #bch ,greetings1 #cje ,grinding1 #ih1 #aje ,gunpatti1 ,hindu god1 #aah ,guru1 religious teacher1 #bjb ,gymnasium1 village1 #acg ,heber1 ,bp41 #bhh ,high castes1 #hd1 #bjh1 #bdh1 #cjf ,hindu college1 visitors from1 #ba ,hinduism1 #b1 #e1 #f1 #aag1 #abh2 and ,christianity1 #d1 #f1 #aae1 #aba1 #abh1 #bji1 #bdd1 #bhe1 #ccg1 #cch2 definitions of1 #f-aj ,hindus1 nominal1 #eh1 #ei1 #aba2 educated1 #bdg ,hole1 ,mr4 ,w41 pictures by1 #abg ,home life1 absence of1 #ef2 of ,brahmin doctor1 #eg ,honesty1 #bbf1 #bdb1 #bdc2 of the dhobie1 #cbb ,horses1 #aha ,hospitality1 #aa2 ,hindu customs concerning1 #ab2 of ,indian ,christians1 #ac1 #dc ,houses1 #bdi1 #bej1 #bed2 how furnished1 #ee2 ,indian in ,london1 #cde ,howd1 tank1 #cag ,hyderabad1 the ,nizam of1 #aab ,hymns1 #ajd ,idolatry1 #b1 #bjh1 #ccg ,immorality1 #fi ,inam1 grant1 #gd1 #bfd ,inamdar1 #gd2 his house1 #gh ,insects1 #ahh ,inspector1 police1 #bae ,institute1 ,indian at ,oxford1 #de ,irrigation1 #ccj ,itte-dhandu1 boys' game1 #ace ,jackals1 #agc ,jacob1 ,sir ,swinton1 #fa ,jain1 sect1 #cdb ,jerome1 the story of a ,brahmin boy1 #aae ,jewellery1 native1 #fb ,jeypore1 museum at1 #fa ,kala1 village of1 #aga ,kathiawar1 #age ,khandala1 #cbj ,kim's talk1 #adc ,king1 ,h4,m4 the1 #aec1 #afb ,kipling1 ,rudyard1 #adc1 #age ,kite1 bird1 #ahg ,kites1 #acc ,krait1 snake1 #caj ,labour1 employers of1 #bd2 dignity of1 #abi ,land1 buying1 #bfc ,landmark1 neighbour's1 #bec ,language1 #cjf ,law-courts1 #aai1 #bab ,lawrence1 the1 school1 #afb ,lights1 incandescent1 #aci1 #bgb ,lion1 #age ,litigation1 #bbd ,locusts1 #ahc ,low castes1 #he1 #bgh ,magisterial inquiry1 #fg ,mahars1 low-caste1 #gj1 #ga1 #bad2 boys1 #gb ,mantis1 #aie ,manure1 #cbi2 farmers and1 #cca ,map1 #bbb ,marbles1 #aca ,marriage1 #aea2 of widows1 #bjf1 #bji ,meals1 #ee1 #ajg1 #bjg1 #bcf2 ,english and ,indian1 #ajg1 #aji1 #bch ,medicine-men1 #cae ,middleton1 ,bp41 #bia ,military display1 #aec1 #aed ,mills1 grinding1 #ih1 #aje ,mineral waters1 #aci ,misconceptions about ,india1 #a1 #bgb1 #bgc1 #bhh ,mission work1 #hi2 heads of1 #id1 #if ,mohammedans1 #cjb2 ascetics1 #aif2 conception of heaven1 #cjc2 egg-merchant1 #aih1 #bjj2 and marriage1 #cjb1 #cjd2 merchants1 #cjc2 saints1 #ge ,money1 #bbe ,mongoose1 #agh ,monkeys1 #agg ,monsoon1 #bgc-e ,moral maxims1 #aff2 instruction1 #bhf ,mosquitoes1 #aic2 net for1 #aic ,mother1 respect for1 #ac1 #af2 ,swithun's1 #ae ,mother-in-law1 #baj1 #baa ,motor cars1 #hj1 #aha2 bullocks and1 #cbf ,music1 #ha1 #ih1 #ajj1 #aja2 ,sir ,g4 ,clarke on1 #ajc1 #ajd ,musical instruments1 #aja ,naidu1 ,mrs ,sarojini1 #aaa2 her portrait1 #aae ,national characteristics1 #ada ,nature1 illustrations from1 #afd2 ,indian view of1 #ag2 the world of1 #ahb ,nautch1 dance1 #gf1 #gi ,neatness1 lack of1 #ij1 #ia ,night1 alarms1 #cji1 #cac2 thieves1 #bea2 travelling by1 #ii2 watchmen1 #cab ,obedience1 ,indian1 #be ,obstinacy1 #aei ,oman1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,c41 #aff ,pageants1 #aea ,painting1 mural1 #fd ,palaces1 #fj ,palanquin bearers1 #ajj ,panchayat1 committee of five1 #ff2 ,christian1 #fh ,pan supari1 leaf and betel nut1 #ge1 #hj2 party1 #gf ,panther1 #agb ,paper1 daily1 #cjj2 vernacular1 #cja ,parsees1 #dh1 #fe1 #abe1 #ahf1 #bga ,patel1 headman1 #ga1 #bac1 #bad1 #caf2 his gift1 #bfd ,patience1 #ib ,payments1 how made1 #bf ,persian visitors1 #abf ,philosophy1 ,hindu1 #aaa ,pictures1 from ,england1 #fc2 by ,indian artists1 #fc ,pigs1 wild1 #agh ,plague ,refuge ,camp1 #bha ,pleaders1 #bbe ,plural1 use of1 #cjf ,poetry1 #aab ,police1 #bac2 umbrellas for1 #bgi ,political unrest1 #aca1 #bhj ,poona ,city1 #gg1 #afd1 #bha2 ancient houses in1 #fj1 #fa2 modern houses in1 #fj1 #fa1 #beg ,post1 cards1 #cd2 offices1 #cc2 postman1 #ch2 post-runners1 #cb ,postal privileges1 #cf2 service1 #cb2 train-sorters1 #ce ,potatoes1 #cce ,potter1 #bga ,poverty1 #ed1 #ajh1 #bbe ,prayer1 ,hindu1 #cj1 #aba ,prayer ,book valued1 #add ,printing1 #adi ,processions1 #aea2 funeral1 #aeb2 religious1 #aed ,projects1 unfinished1 #aeh1 #bef2 imaginary1 #beg ,property1 #bba ,proverbial sayings1 #bgj ,psalm cl41 #aef ,punishment1 #afa1 #bac ,purdah women1 #ha ,purity1 #gj ,pusa ,college1 #cbh ,religion1 #aag2 true1 #bdj ,religious controversy1 #afd2 phases1 #abd ,repartee1 #abi ,rest-house1 #ii ,rewards1 government1 #agb ,rivers1 #gg1 #ahc1 #cai ,robbery1 by train-sorters1 #ce2 in temples1 #aah ,roman ,catholics1 #hg1 #abd1 #bij ,rudeness1 to employers1 #bd1 #be2 to ,indians1 #bbh ,sacred books1 ,hindu1 #c ,salvation ,army1 #bij ,sanskrit1 #cdd ,scenery1 oblivious to1 #ag ,schoolboys1 #bai2 ,hindu1 #bhc1 #cdj ,scorpions1 #aia ,sects1 #hg1 #hh ,servants1 #bie1 #big2 punctuality1 #eb2 ,christian1 #bdb1 #bdd1 #bfi2 heathen1 #bdc2 of ,europeans1 #gb1 #bcg1 #bch1 #bda ,shiggram1 carriage1 #bii ,shinde1 pigtail1 #bhd1 #cci ,shoes1 #bii ,shops1 #cjj ,sikhs1 #cdc ,singing1 #ha1 #ih1 #ii1 #ajj1 #ajc1 #adj ,slang1 #adg ,smell of ,india1 #cje ,snakes1 #bic1 #cji1 #cab ,socks1 #bii ,soldiers1 #ajj ,son1 eldest1 #ccb ,sparrows1 #ahf ,spiders1 #aib ,spirit1 ,holy1 #ig ,squirrel1 #agf ,state1 native1 #aai ,station-masters1 ,indian1 #di ,sugar cane1 #cca2 parties1 #ccb2 juice1 #ccc ,sun1 #bgg2 caution about1 #bij ,survey ,department1 #bbb ,swallows1 #ahf ,swearing1 #abe1 #adg ,swithun's mother1 #ae ,symons1 ,mr ,arthur1 #aaa ,telegrams1 #cg2 abuse of1 #cg ,temples1 ,hindu1 #abb2 behaviour in1 #aag ,thackeray1 ,mr41 #aie ,thieving1 #bah1 #bej ,tigers1 #agj2 den1 #agc2 tigress1 #agc ,tilak1 ,mr41 #abj1 #bha ,tips1 #bfi ,titles1 #gd ,tomb1 ,mohammedan1 #gi1 #aif ,tom ,tiddler's ground1 #acf ,toothbrush1 #bce ,tops1 #acb ,torture1 #bac1 #bag1 #bah ,trades1 #bgj2 ancestral1 #cbc ,traveller's tale1 #ahb ,tulsi plant1 #eh1 #bjh ,tunes1 #ajc2 ,indian1 for hymns1 #ajd ,turban1 #dd1 #bhd1 #cdc ,umbrellas1 #bgh ,unfinished projects1 #aeh1 #bef1 #beh1 #bfj ,unpunctuality1 #dh2 instance of1 #di2 on the railway1 #dh1 #di2 at meals1 #eb1 #ec2 incurable1 #ej1 #ea2 amongst ,christians1 #ea1 #ib1 #ic1 #id2 illustration from parables1 #eb ,unrest1 political1 #bgh1 #bhj ,villages1 #ff ,vultures1 #ahf ,washerman1 #cag ,wasps1 #aij ,watchmen1 night1 #gb ,wells1 #beh1 #bfj ,widows1 ,hindu1 #bb1 #bjd2 at ,yerandawana1 #bjf2 garments of1 #bje2 ,home for1 #bje1 #bjg1 #bii2 marriage of1 #bjf1 #bji ,windows1 #ef ,wolf-boys1 #agd ,wolves1 #agd ,women1 their dress1 #dd1 #fe2 their meals1 #ee2 purdah1 #ha2 grinding1 #ih1 #aje1 #ajf ,work1 low ideal of1 #bie ,wrestling1 #acg2 prizes for1 #ach2 competitions1 #adj ,wrongdoing1 #bab1 #bag1 #bah ,xavier1 ,st ,francis1 #ig ,yerandawana1 #ae1 #ah1 #ai1 #cc1 #gd1 #abf1 #aed1 #aif1 #bjb1 #bjf1 #bfc ,yonge1 ,miss1 #ba 99 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,,the ,,same ,,author ,,indian ,,jottings ,,from ,,ten ,,years' ,,experiences ,,in ,,and ,,around ,,poona ,,city ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,edward ,f4 ,,elwin ,,of ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,st ,,john ,,the ,,evangelist1 ,,cowley ,with ,illustrations4 ,demy #hvo4 #ajs4 #f;d4 net ,mr ,elwin has written a book of singular merit1 and as compared with most of the many books about ,india1 of quite unusual value4 ,it is what ,carlyle would have called a sincere book4444 ,the author writes out of the fulness of personal knowledge and observation1 with no other object than that of telling truly what he knows1 and describing with fidelity what he has seen4--,the ,scotsman4 ,,hobson-,,jobson4 ,being a ,glossary of ,colloquial ,anglo-,indian ,words and ,phrases1 and of ,kindred ,terms--,etymological1 ,historical1 ,geographical1 and ,discursive4 ,by the late ,colonel ,sir ,,henry ,,yule1 ,r4,e41 ,c4,b41 and the late ,,arthur ,,coke ,,burnell1 ,ph4,d41 ,c4,i4,e4 ,second ,edition1 thoroughly revised by ,,william ,,crooke1 ,b4,a4 ,demy #hvo1 #bhs4 net4 ,a ,,new ,,edition1 ,,thoroughly ,,revised ,a ,,handbook ,,for ,,travellers ,,in ,,india1 ,,burma1 ,,and ,,ceylon4 ,including the ,provinces of ,bengal1 ,bombay1 ,madras1 the ,united ,provinces of ,agra and ,lucknow1 the ,panjab1 ,eastern ,bengal and ,assam1 the ,north-,west ,frontier ,province1 ,baluchistan and the ,central ,provinces1 and the ,native ,states of ,rajputana1 ,central ,india1 ,kashmir1 ,hyderabad1 ,mysore1 etc4 ,with numerous ,maps and ,plans4 #bjs4 ,,storia ,,do ,,mogor2 ,or1 ,,mogul ,,india 7#afec-agjh74 ,by ,,niccolao ,,manucci1 ,venetian4 ,translated1 with ,notes and ,introduction1 by ,,william ,,irvine1 late of the ,bengal ,civil ,service2 ,member of ,council1 ,royal ,asiatic ,society4 ,with #fa ,illustrations and a ,map4 ,four ,volumes4 ,medium #hvo1 #abs4 net each4 ,edited under the supervision of the ,royal ,asiatic ,society4 ,,the ,,economic ,,transition ,,in ,,india4 ,by ,sir ,,theodore ,,morison1 ,k4,c4,i4,e41 ,author of ,the ,industrial ,organisation of an ,indian ,province4 ,demy #hvo1 #es4 net4 ,students of the ,british ,east must on no account miss this book4 ,in a sense it forms really a history of ,india1 from the workaday material standpoint4 ,this is a book to read and to keep for reference4--,standard4 ,,the ,,industrial ,,organization ,,of ,,an ,,indian ,,province4 ,by ,sir ,,theodore ,,morison1 ,k4,c4,i4,e41 formerly ,principal of the ,mohammedan ,college at ,aligarh4 ,demy #hvo1 #ajs4 #f;d4 net4 ,his opinions are expressed with lucidity and moderation1 and even where they provoke dissent they demand the closest attention4--,manchester ,guardian4 ,,studies ,,of ,,indian ,,life ,,and ,,sentiment4 ,by ,sir ,,bampfylde ,,fuller1 ,k4,c4,s4,i41 ,c4,i4,e4 ,second ,impression4 ,with ,map4 ,crown #hvo1 #fs4 net4 ,we ought to read and remember all that ,sir ,bampfylde ,fuller says of the history1 the geography1 the weather1 and the peoples of ,india2 to have some idea of the different religions and the numbers of their adherents1 of the ,caste system and village communities1 of domestic life and agricultural methods2 and to know what causes famine1 what famine and famine relief means1 how commerce thrives in ,india1 how the people is governed and educated1 and whence the revenue is derived4 ,all these things are briefly set forth in these studies by one who spent his life in the ,government service1 and who neither in his views nor his sympathies can be accused of hide-bound officialism4--,world4 ,,events ,,of ,,the ,,indian ,,mutiny ,,at ,,ferozepore ,,and ,,throughout ,,the ,,siege ,,of ,,delhi4 ,personal ,reminiscences of ,captain ,griffiths4 ,edited by ,captain ,,henry ,,john ,,yonge1 formerly of the #fast ,regiment4 ,with ,illustrations4 ,demy #hvo1 #is4 net4 ,such a volume as the present is an invaluable document1 not merely for historians of the ,mutiny1 but for all students of the history of the relations between ,european and non-,european races4444 ,graphic even to an exciting degree1 and he proves himself to have an eye for a fine scene1 an heroic act1 or a humorous incident4--,daily ,news4 ,,life ,,and ,,labour ,,in ,,india4 ,by ,a4 ,,yusuf-,,ali1 ,m4,a41 ,,ll4,m47,cantab71 ,m4,r4,a4,s41 ,barrister-at-,law1 of ,his ,majesty's ,indian ,civil ,service4 ,with ,illustrations4 ,including ,drawings by ,native ,artists4 ,demy #hvo1 #abs4 net4 ,this work of an ,indian born and bred who has a knowledge1 not only of his native country1 but also of ,european life and ways of thought 444 will prove profitable reading to any one who wishes a concise1 readable1 and trustworthy introduction to a knowledge of the life of ,india as it is4--,manchester ,guardian4 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,india4 ,by the ,hon4 ,,mountstuart ,,elphinstone4 ,ninth ,edition4 ,with ,maps4 ,demy #hvo1 #aes4 net4 ,the book remains distinctly one of our indispensable works of interest and reference1 and it possesses graces of narrative and exposition which are absent from most of its rivals4--,pall ,mall ,gazette4 ,,the ,,rise ,,and ,,expansion ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,dominion ,,in ,,india4 ,by ,sir ,,alfred ,,lyall4 ,fourth ,edition4 ,with a new ,chapter bringing the ,history down to #aijg4 ,with ,maps4 ,demy #hvo1 #es4 net4 ,,indian ,,problems4 ,by ,s4 ,m4 ,,mitra4 ,with an ,introduction by ,sir ,,george ,,birdwood1 ,k4,c4,i4,e41 ,c4,s4,i41 ,,ll4,d4 ,large ,crown #hvo1 #gs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,things ,,indian4 ,being ,discursive ,notes on various subjects connected with ,india4 ,by ,,william ,,crooke4 ,demy #hvo1 #abs4 net4 ,,some ,,indian ,,friends ,,and ,,acquaintances4 ,a ,study of the ,ways of ,birds and other ,animals frequenting ,indian ,streets and ,gardens4 ,by ,lieut4-,col4 ,d4 ,d4 ,,cunningham4 ,with ,illustrations4 ,square ,demy #hvo1 #abs4 net4 ,,plagues ,,and ,,pleasures ,,of ,,life ,,in ,,bengal4 ,by ,lieut4-,col4 ,d4 ,d4 ,,cunningham4 ,with ,coloured and ,half-tone ,illustrations1 ,square ,demy #hvo1 #abs4 net4 ,,india ,,and ,,tibet4 ,by ,colonel ,sir ,,francis ,,younghusband1 ,k4,c4,i4,e4 ,with ,maps and ,illustrations4 ,medium #hvo1 #bas4 net4 ,the expedition to ,lhasa six years ago has already had three historians1 but ,sir ,francis ,younghusband's work is invested with a special value which none of its predecessors can claim4 ,he was the responsible leader of the ,mission of #aijd1 and what he has to say about it1 and about the circumstances which led to its despatch1 bears the stamp of final and indisputable authority 444 a full and balanced account of the political aspects of the ,tibetan problem1 the motives which led to the unveiling of ,lhasa1 the results of the ,mission1 and the questions which still await solution4 ,his book1 therefore1 constitutes the most important contribution yet made to the growing store of literature about ,tibet4--,times4 ,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east ,,series ,,contains ,,original ,,translations ,,of ,,the ,,great ,,religious1 ,,philosophical1 ,,and ,,literary ,,classics ,,of ,,the ,,east ,amongst the subjects treated of are ,buddhism1 ,mohammedanism1 ,confucianism1 ,judaism1 the ,bahai ,religion1 ,chinese1 ,persian and ,arabian ,mysticism1 and the ,poetry of ,china and ,japan4 ,,the ,,heart ,,of ,,india4 ,sketches in the ,history of ,hindu ,religion and ,morals4 ,by ,l4 ,d4 ,,barnett1 ,m4 ,a41 ,litt4 ,d41 ,professor of ,sanskrit at ,university ,college1 ,london4 #bs4 net4 ,,brahma-,,knowledge3 ,,an ,,outline ,,of ,,the ,,philosophy ,,of ,,the ,,vedanta4 ,as set forth by the ,upanishads and by ,sankara4 ,by ,l4 ,d4 ,,barnett1 ,m4 ,a41 ,litt4 ,d41 ,professor of ,sanskrit at ,university ,college1 ,london4 #bs4 net4 ,,the ,,path ,,of ,,light4 ,rendered for the first time into ,english from the ,bodhi-charyavatara of ,santi-,deva4 ,a ,manual of ,maha-,yana ,buddhism4 ,by ,l4 ,d4 ,,barnett1 ,m4 ,a41 ,litt4 ,d4 #bs4 net4 ,,legends ,,of ,,indian ,,buddhism4 ,translated from ,l',introduction a l',histoire du ,buddhisme ,indien of ,eugene ,burnouf1 with an ,introduction by ,,winifred ,,stephens4 #bs4 net4 ,,the ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,buddha4 ,selections from the ,buddhist texts1 together with the original ,pali1 with ,introduction by ,,herbert ,,baynes1 ,m4,r4,a4,s4 #bs4 net4 ,,london3 ,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street1 ,w4